Bendigo's healthcare army Our nurses have been at the forefront of fighting the pandemic, often making personal sacrifices for the sake of the community. By Lisa Chesters, Federal Member for Bendigo - Photography by Leon Schoots
Here in Australia, it’s no secret our nurses are playing a crucial role across patient care, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s not widely recognised that nurses make up the largest segment of our health workforce. Registered nurses comprise the largest healthcare occupation. They’ve stepped up to the plate over the past two years, working around the clock in high-pressure situations, whilst covered in uncomfortable but necessary PPE. Nurses are very much at the frontline in the intensive care units, where a nurse is the person at the bedside of the most vulnerable, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They are working in respiratory clinics, providing important support, comfort and guidance to people who are worried and frightened about whether they have COVID-19. Then, at the end of the day, they are going home to their personal lives. In addition to the critical work our nurses are doing, many have also been home-schooling, supporting their families and managing isolation and COVID tests because of local exposure to the 58
virus. Regardless of the challenges the pandemic brought to their personal lives, these workers have continued to turn up on time and support each other, putting any of their own fears of contracting the virus to the side for the greater good of our community. It’s remarkable. The nurses at Bendigo Health’s vaccination clinic have been doing the bulk of the work in Bendigo, but there’s a lot to be said for the long-term trust a health organisation like Bendigo Community Health Services has earnt over the years, to be able to connect with our most vulnerable citizens for support during the pandemic. In April 2020, BCHS began to administer vaccinations under their own program, after going through a selection process to take part in the Commonwealth vaccine rollout. The dedication of the nursing and medical staff was shown immediately, as they undertook comprehensive online training, in their own time, to ensure they were across the process to provide vaccinations with confidence. They have now completed more than 10,000 vaccinations across
