This week, we spoke to Emily, who works as a Registered Nurse. She shared how she got into the nursing profession, what she loves about it, and some of the challenges she faces each day.
Emily started out in aged care and disability work as a carer, before going on to become a Registered Nurse.
“I got into that role after feeling a bit lost in life, and seeing the role advertised, I went for it. Eventually, one of the Registered Nurses said I should look into nursing, and so I started a whole new degree at 24 and my grad program at 27.”
Drawn to nursing because of the pathophysiology behind disease processes, as well as providing bedside manner and care to those in vulnerable positions, Emily has found her career to be extremely fulfilling and loves her work. It’s this passion and care factor that initially led her to the neurosurgery side of things.
“Neurosurgery was a passion of mine as a student and I knew that was where I wanted to work as a graduate.”
From her early years as a nurse, Emily recounted neurosurgery being a tricky department as it’s 50% pre or post operative care, 40% taking care of critically unwell individuals with either tumours or bleeds, and 10% clinically well people who come in for elective procedures.
“A challenge I found in this area was witnessing a diagnosis being given, such as terminal brain cancer, and supporting the patient and family through this.”
Emily has now transitioned into the addiction space, which is vastly different. Unlike neurosurgery, it’s voluntary—so if the young person doesn’t want to be there they don’t have to turn up.
“The biggest challenge I face now are the clients who are there because their parents have forced their hands or they are court ordered to participate in program. When you take that voluntary nature away from their participation, you lose all motivation and it’s difficult to work with them.”
Since making the transition, Emily now works in a clinical setting (which means, no scrubs!) She can wear whatever she wants as it helps her and other fellow nurses fit in with the young people.
“It makes our patients feel more comfortable and like being with a friend rather than in a medical setting.”
A similar approach is taken with our Helping Solutions Support Workers as we have also received this feedback from our participants.
Speaking of disability, Emily also shared a little insight to what being supported in a hospital setting could look like for a person living with a disability, based on how she approaches her own patients.
“I have had to share a patient load with carers before. My general rule is to ask them what their scope of practice is and if the patient has any likes or dislikes, any specific needs. In most cases I’ve just met the patient – but these support workers are with them almost daily and they know them far better than I ever will. I don’t see a benefit to marching in and stomping all over their routine. If the patient likes things a certain way and the support worker can facilitate that, great.”
Like many nurses, another challenge that Emily often faces is burnout, which she describes as a huge issue in hospital work.
“My burnout presents as me waking up and not wanting to go to work. Because I’ve always loved nursing […] if I ever don’t want to go to work it means I’m TIRED and need a couple of days on the couch with chocolate and Netflix.”
Emily shared that taking care of her mental health has been paramount over the years. She receives psychological support on and off and treats herself like a car that needs to be serviced by attending a session every few months just to check in, in case she’s missing any signs that she’s not okay.
She also credits daily mindfulness to be a huge help.
“As a neurodiverse individual, I find sitting still really difficult. But through perseverance, I can now partake in a mindfulness session on the Calm App or the Smiling Mind App daily.”
Unfortunately, nursing is one of the top roles in this country where employees are also subject to violence and aggression—and Emily hasn’t been exempt from this. According to Emily, hospitals do attempt to implement strategies that combat violence, but they often fall short in action.
“[Hospitals] also preach the EAP programs but when we aren’t at work, we don’t want to talk about work and when we are at work, we don’t have the time.”
We asked Emily what she believes needs to change, and she shared that therapy sessions or mandated hours for debriefing after tricky situations would be very beneficial, but the biggest help would be providing more staff with training.
While on the subject of improving working conditions for nurses, she added that things like free parking for nursing staff, free food to reduce overtime, and lower patient ratios would all be added supports.
Despite the shortcomings and trade-offs that nurses face every day, Emily was recently reminded why she loves her work and that she’s definitely chosen the right career path. She shared,
“A client of mine who has complex mental health and extensive cannabis use history has become sober and started to partake in regular life occurrences such as attending (and passing) TAFE, volunteering for POOPs (Pets of Older People), and gaining supervision rights of her dog back from her parents. Watching her grow and evolve over the last 12 months was truly a gift and something I don’t take for granted at all.”
Client stories like these are the reason why our community nurses are so important, and why we should endeavour to better support our nurses. The health and wellbeing of our nurses creates healthier futures for everyone.
This week, in honour of International Nurses Day (May 12th), we acknowledge the dedication and expertise of nurses everywhere. Their compassion, skill, and tireless efforts set a high standard of care for our communities, making a lasting difference in the lives of so many.
Nurses are the heart of healthcare—saving lives, providing comfort, and showing up when they’re needed most. We celebrate their commitment and advocate for their wellbeing, because a strong nursing workforce means a healthier future for all.❤️
