Adj Prof Jackie Hanson

I’d like to acknowledge and congratulate all of our nursing colleagues on International Nurses Day.

International Nurses Day, which is celebrated on the birthday of Florence Nightingale, is a time for me to reflect on my own nursing experience. I started my nursing career in Hughenden in 1979 as an assistant in nursing and completed my enrolled nurse training in 1981.

I commenced my hospital based training in Townsville in 1986 when my daughter was one, which had its own challenges that many of you will also experience. Finally, I was in the first intake of nurses to commence a Bachelor of Nursing Science at James Cook University which I completed in 1993.

It is a proud and trusted profession known for care and compassion. I want to thank each and every one of you.

I’d also like to congratulate our Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer Alanna Geary who has been raising money for nursing education and research by walking on a treadmill to highlight the amount of walking nurses on the ward do in a shift. So far Alanna has walked over 170km since last Thursday and is on track to do another 30-35km today.

In the words of Florence Nightingale: ‘May we hope that, when we are all dead and gone, leaders will arise who have been personally experienced in the hard, practical work, the difficulties, and the joys of organising nursing reforms, and who will lead far beyond anything we have done!’

Regards,

Jackie