Happy Friday colleagues,

I hope the past couple of weeks since my last message have been positive for you all. We are very aware of how busy everyone is but with summer coming I am hopeful that you take the opportunity in your time away from the organisation to get some much-deserved rest and relaxation.

The festive season is fast approaching and I know that in itself keeps families busy but in the background we also have the looming possibility that the Delta strain of COVID-19 may be soon on our doorstep. While nearly all of us are now vaccinated I strongly encourage anyone who hasn’t does so and that you in turn encourage your friends, families, and colleagues to do the same.

Together we can get on top of this and hopefully in the not-so-distant future we will return to the way of life we all know and love. As health professionals and nurses and midwives we have a duty of care to our patients and their families and to ourselves and our families and I know that everyone takes that responsibility seriously as you go about your day to day working lives.

Thank you so very much for all you are doing, not only for COVID-19, promotion of the vaccine and the care of patients and their families but also the work being done in anticipation of what may be around the corner. Each and every one of you is playing such a pivotal role in how we meet the health care requirements of the people who attend our organisations or we provide care to.

While every message you see these days probably has a COVID element to it, I would like to at this time just call out our amazing Public Health Team. While I extend that thanks to all who work in Public Health I would very much to say thank you so much to the nursing staff in this unit. What an outstanding group of committed and conscientious individuals whose hard work often goes a little unnoticed. Please know that I and others are acutely aware of your contribution to keeping Queenslanders safe and it is so greatly appreciated.

There are parts of my job that I absolutely adore and it always gives me so much pleasure to launch exciting initiatives. It therefore is so lovely launch the website for The Museum of Nursing History. The work of the volunteers for the Museum is very important and I won’t try and mention each and every one of them here as I will miss someone if I try, but what an incredible group of past employees of the RBH (now RBWH) who spend countless hours ensuring the preservation of our most wonderful memories. This museum not only has preserved the history of our largest facility but also Metro North and more importantly the state of Queensland.

The importance of Queensland Nurses in the history of Australian nursing and midwifery should never be underestimated. Nurse and midwives, past and present can fondly reminisce on their nursing and midwifery careers and present nurses and midwives can reflect on what has changed in nursing over the past 150+ years at RBWH. I implore you to go to the website in the first instance to tweak your interest and then hopefully you will be inspired to visit the museum in person. I know our volunteers would love to see you. Personally, as an individual with an interest in the past, it is one of my favourite places to visit. I always pick up another interesting piece of information and the historical puzzle is slowly coming together for me.

Until next time, stay safe, stay well and thank you.

Alanna