Springfield nurse still sheds tears of happiness after 10 years

She has been an oncology nurse for more than a decade but Divya Jose still gets teary when patients thank her for the hope and strength she inspires during what is often the most difficult time in their lives.

“Being a nurse is special, but being an oncology nurse is really special to me,” said Ms Jose, who has been working at Mater Cancer Care Centre at Mater Private Hospital Springfield for the past two years.

“When patients come in for the first time, it’s often a stressful period for them and their families.

“Immediately after receiving a diagnosis can be really dark days. I feel I can be a source of strength for patients and their loved ones during these times.”

Ms Jose began her career in India, working with paediatric and oncology patients, and later moved to the Middle East where she continued to serve as a nurse in oncology and haematology.

She said International Nurses Day (12 May) – an opportunity to recognise the contribution that nurses make in communities around the world – encouraged her to continue working with some of the most vulnerable patients in hospitals.

“I am proud of what I do,” she said.

“We become a regular part of a patient’s treatment journey and share their experiences, both emotionally and physically.

“When a patient finishes treatment, I’m happy for their recovery and don’t want them to have to come back but I do miss them.”

Ms Jose said she recently cared for a new, young patient who had just been diagnosed.

“This patient was understandably stressed and anxious,” she said. “I explained what might happen as part of her treatment journey and helped her to understand the side effects.

“When she was leaving, she turned to me and thanked me and said she would be back the following week with a positive mind.

“It’s experiences like that when I realise that what I do and can have a big impact on a patient’s journey.

“It makes your eyes teary.”