What's your job about?
My employer shares the obligation with me, the employee, to uphold the rights of quality and safe healthcare by maintaining a safe environment and ensuring adequate resources.
As a new graduate, working the morning shift is common.
The day begins with a warm welcoming exchange amongst staff while I restock my trolley to ensure I am organised for my shift. Huddle begins with the Team Leader’s brief overview of the ward and then transitions to a bedside handover where a comprehensive overview, identification check and a patient assessment to confirm the patient’s condition. After prioritising my patients' care I commence medication rounds and during this time I endeavour to communicate expectations, so patients are able to set goals.
West Ward consists of Orthopaedic, Plastics and Genealogical procedures. A common major concern is low hemoglobin levels post-acute blood loss, active bleeding, DVT and sepsis. Although each specialty offers unique challenges and risks, it is important I understand the major risks associated with each surgery. Assisting with activities-of-daily-living (ADL) along with many other tasks such as observations, blood transfusions, doctor reviews/updates, wound assessments, dressing changes, regular PCA and pain assessments, the completion of discharges and preparing for ICU transfers and post-ops.
As the end of my shift approaches, I am able to finalise patient care and complete documentation.
What's your background?
At the age of one year old, I was living in Austin, Texas with my brother and parents. I started school at Northern Beaches Christian School and resided in Sydney’s Northern Suburbs.
During high school, I completed the Assistant in Nursing course at TAFE while managing my HSC. On completion of this course, I was recognised as being the highest achiever in the Northern Beaches TAFE. and was also New South Wales “Student of The Year”, which reinforced my desire to become a nurse.
On completion of high school, I commenced working at my local nursing home. This instilled important aspects that I still utilize in my job every day. It taught my patience, respect and holistic care of a palliative patient.
During the COVID pandemic, I was employed as an AIN at Northern Beaches Hospital, spending most of my time supporting nursing staff in a high acuity COVID ward. The COVID ward exposed me to emotionally taxing patients who often were experiencing significant isolation and anxiety.
I get great joy in being able to assist a person on their journey to healing and support them in their most vulnerable time. I have been working as a new graduate for the last 5 months in West Ward at Westmead Private Hospital.
Could someone with a different background do your job?
Yes, someone with a different background from me can become a Nurse.
To be a great nurse you need to have a willingness to learn and a caring and empathetic nature.
Good communication and problem-solving skills are also essential.
In addition, an important characteristic is a commitment to patient advocacy.
What’s the best thing about your job?
One of my favourite task-orientated parts of my job is the management of TPN and the complex nursing care that surrounds it. It has been incredible learning about the holistic care and interventions one is able to see with blood values, fluid balance and a person’s overall symptom improvement. Overall, my favourite part of nursing on the ward is sharing the joy of a patient when they achieve their goals - for most, this means a long journey from a patient with many tubes, pain, and needing extended physio to walk a few steps to waving them goodbye independently. It is truly special to share those experiences with patients and colleagues.
What are the limitations or challenging aspects of your job?
My ultimate role and responsibility in my job is to provide quality, patient-centred care. With this comes great responsibility. The hardest part of my job is having to discuss with patients or family members that are decorating, and join with the multidisciplinary team to discuss the interventions that might occur, often very frightening for the patient. Hearing the sadness in their voice and having to be the one to witness it all, and then go to my other patients and put a smile on. This is emotionally draining and can be heavy on my heart.
3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student...
Throughout your journey, there’s going to be a time when you feel like you’re failing, or that life is just pushing against you. You may not be getting the grades you desire, but I want to remind you that it is okay! The end is near and is worth it, if you could see your future you would beam with pride. Some advice I have for you - speak with pride; your nativity and lack of experience of invaluable perspective that other nurses cannot bring, demand and offer change where you sit fit.