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 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

their three locations (Bendigo, Eaglehawk and Kangaroo Flat). Bendigo Community Health Services has also been part of ambassadorial projects, allowing them to target refugees, alcohol and drug-affected patients and those with significant chronic disease for a more focused approach to get jabs in arms. The multicultural team at BCHS has helped bridge a gap for these communities in Bendigo. Their work throughout the pandemic is to be commended. Community members trust the information BCHS is able to provide because of previous dealings with them and feel comfortable knowing they’ll get a reliable service. BCHS hasn’t been competing with the Bendigo Health Vaccination Clinic, but complementing its work by providing a service to those in the community who may otherwise not engage. People from all walks of life have had questions and hesitations surrounding the vaccine, particularly in the beginning. Many needed factual information from a source they could trust and, for the clients of BCHS, that relationship already existed. BCHS has provided GP services, counselling and support for years leading into the pandemic. The community health organisation delivers more than 50 programs across the region, helping people live healthier lives. Since Gough Whitlam opened the service in 1974, Bendigo Community Health Services has led and co-ordinated an extensive range of primary and community health programs and activities. The primary healthcare service champions equity and works to make a fundamental change for the disadvantaged. The pressures on reception staff, doctors, nurses and the rest of the team has been enormous. It’s more than a job for our frontline workers. The task has been more than administering vaccinations; there was an abundance of complexities and everchanging information to navigate. From misinformation campaigns and vaccine hesitancy, to people with needle phobias, chronic health conditions and language barriers, and even vaccine stock management, Bendigo Community Health Services has tackled every issue head on. BCHS staff have spent hours on the phone listening to people air their concerns over the vaccine and providing trusted, factual information. Their work helped Bendigo become one of the most vaccinated regions in the country. As the single largest health workforce group, nurses are there at every turn, making a real difference to the care and the experience of patients, their families and carers. Our nurses’ compassion, professionalism and round-the-clock commitment caring for patients in the public health system has not gone unnoticed. There have been challenges for everyone throughout this pandemic, but no one has been in the trenches the way our healthcare workers have. The nurses, receptionists, doctors, and other staff at Bendigo Community Health Services have been on the frontline for almost two years. They are exhausted. But when you talk to them, the safety and wellbeing of the community is still their top priority, and that’s something we need to celebrate. They have been our army in this fight against COVID-19. We should take the time to thank and appreciate nurses, and the important role of nursing during the pandemic.