The Australian College of Nursing’s 2020 ‘Nursing in the Community Week’ shines a light on the importance of #NursesWhereYouNeedThem, and CCQ is also celebrating these vital healthcare professionals by profiling some of the nurses within our own organisation.
Our PHN recently welcomed Rae Fialla to the team, in the role of Manager, Primary Health Care and here, Rae shares her story.
“I began my nursing journey at Toowoomba Base Hospital as one of the last cohort of hospital trained registered nurses.
They promised us it would be one of the most rewarding experiences and they were not wrong; the values, mateship and work ethic I learnt during that time have been invaluable.
I spent my first five years working in rural areas where nurses were expected to take on a wide variety of roles in addition to their clinical role, to make the small local hospitals function.
This is where I learned how important it was for everyone to play a part, that everyone is important, and there is no such thing as ‘it’s not my job’.
I’ve crawled through ceiling spaces in the hospital roof to fix the patient buzzer system, caught snakes, mopped up flooded waters at midnight, pulled fallen trees from colleague’s cars – it’s all been just part of the job.
The best part about nursing is truly being able to make a difference, and it doesn’t matter what role you play, everyone has an important part to make a difference for people’s health outcomes.
I have had the privilege to be part of the hospital executive teams who helped to grow the health services provided for the Sunshine Coast and Wide Bay.
These services are now well used and have become a vital resource for their communities, and I have lots of wonderful memories from that time.
However, the most memorable moments from my nursing career are often the simplest – the times I was ‘there’ and able to provide that moment of support, a reassuring smile, some kind words, and sometimes simply the time, to sit in silence with someone.
Sometimes it was for patients, but sometimes it was for my colleagues.
Nursing to me is caring for people, no matter what role I’m in.”