Dear colleagues,

It has been a few weeks since I have written a communication to you and I apologise. The weeks just fly by and Fridays seem to come around awfully quickly! There is much happening, and I will try to highlight some of the challenges but also initiatives for Nursing and Midwifery Services across Metro North.

This year we have taken more graduate nurses for the year than ever before. While new graduates need support as they enter the workforce, can I just say I have been so very impressed with the way these wonderful nursing and midwifery staff have integrated into our workforce. They are professional, collegial, so willing to join our teams and have been integral in not only meeting our business as usual requirements but also the COVID-19 response. Thank you so much to you all, and also thank you very much to our more experienced staff who have supported, mentored and provided preceptorship to them. A big shout out to our Nursing Educators and Clinical Facilitators, without you, your expertise and support this would have been a far more challenging year. Your input has been most valued and highly appreciated.

To that end, Monday afternoon we will celebrate with those nursing and midwifery staff who have completed or about to complete their graduate year. This is a great opportunity to celebrate achievement and acknowledge our wonderful relative new staff to Metro North.

I would also like to acknowledge those nursing and midwifery staff who have not only managed their “day jobs” but also stepped up to support vaccination, fever clinics, hotel quarantine, and contact tracing. Many of these staff have worked their normal rosters but also worked significant additional overtime to support the COVID response. I would love to list you all, but I know if I tried I would miss someone, so please know I do know who you are, your contribution is so valued, and I am so proud of the willingness of nursing and midwifery right across the health service to step up to the plate.

On that note I hope you have a lovely weekend. I am hopeful that the weather is as outstanding as it was last weekend and that you have a nice time if you are not working and if you are working that you do get to have some downtime.

Regards,

Alanna