In The Loop- Autumn 2024

ST JOHN OF GOD DAY 2024

LOOP IN THE

SJOG.ORG.AU/SEM

PARENT & INFANT UNIT

Langmore Centre caring for new parents in SEM

33 YEARS OF SERVICE & RETIRING

Leonie Wills

SPEECH PATHOLOGY

Meet the Frankston team

Welcome LISA NORMAN

General Manager, South East Melbourne Hospitals

In this edition of In The Loop, we celebrate a truly remarkable milestone - the 33-year career of Leonie Wills with our organisation and her well-deserved journey into retirement.

Leonie’s journey began at our Gibb St, Berwick Hospital back in the day when it was formerly known as Berwick Hospital Inc. Leonie also witnessed the transformation to St John of God Berwick Hospital in 2003. Having served in various roles, from Registered Nurse and Nurse Unit Manager to Deputy Director of Nursing, Leonie’s contributions have been invaluable.

In 2023, we recognised and celebrated the dedication of many caregivers across our South East Melbourne hospitals, with 28 marking their 10th anniversary, 17 reaching 15 years, 7 achieving 20 years, 1 commemorating 25 years, and 2 reaching an impressive 30 years of service.

This raises the question: What makes St John of God Health Care a compelling workplace, especially in an era marked by frequent job changes?

Leonie’s tenure serves as a testament to the enduring values at the core of our organisation – respect, compassion, justice, hospitality, and excellence - the very fabric of our identity. We take immense pride in fostering an environment where these values guide and deeply influence our daily actions, creating a culture that retains dedicated caregivers.

I have recently been working with the executive team on developing the FY25 South East Melbourne hospitals strategic plan, a comprehensive framework that aligns with the organisation’s objectives and fosters an environment that supports innovation, employee well-being, and the ongoing future success of our organisation.

As part of our workplace strategy, we conduct annual VMO and caregiver surveys. The 2023 results are in:

• 52% of our caregivers responded across SEM – that is 727 responses from a total 1400 caregivers

• 84% of responses identified as female, 13% as male and 3% did not wish to declare or describe as one gender

• Our average score across SEM was 3.96 out of 5 which is an Improvement on previous year - 3.93.

We have also seen an improvement at all SEM sites with individual scores listed below.

• Berwick was 3.99 – an improvement on previous year’s score of 3.96

• Frankston was 3.83, also an improvement on the previous year at 3.82

• Langmore was 3.89, again an Improvement on 3.87 last year.

As you can see all sites are sitting very close and very close to a score of 4. The executive team have an aspiration to reach a score of 4 across all sites in the next survey. So the big question is, how can we reach 4? Send me an email, write me a letter or even a post it note. I am keen to understand what would allow you to be more engaged at work.

To follow up, we are conducting caregiver engagement survey workshops across Berwick, Frankston and Langmore Centre. These workshops provide caregivers with a face-to-face platform to share feedback and ideas. I encourage all caregivers to attend and reach out to Paul Broadway, Senior Human Resources Business Partner, for more information.

Taking pride in being part of St John of God Health Care signifies a commitment to our values – not just as ideals but as lived principles that define us. As we nurture this culture, we fortify our foundation and elevate the quality of care and support provided to our patients.

I’d like to thank Leonie for her remarkable service to St John of God Health Care and to our local community and wish her all the very best as she steps into retired life.

Lisa Norman General Manager, SEM Hospitals

Leonie’s moo-ving on

Leonie Wills, Deputy Director of Nursing at St John of God Berwick Hospital, is giving up her day job to spend more time on the farm with her cows … (not to mention her daughters and grandchildren too - but who doesn’t like to dabble in a good headline pun when you get a chance to?).

For more than 45 years Leonie has dedicated her life to caring for others. And despite beginning her nursing career at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital, 33 of those years have been spent in various roles between Berwick’s Gibb Street hospital and St John of God Berwick Hospital’s Kangan Drive location.

Earlier this year while taking long-service leave, Leonie decided that spending time frolicking in the ocean, visiting her daughters and grandchildren, and of course tending to her farm with 30-odd cows, (many of which are about to have calves), was an experience she’d like to make a more permanent one.

“I love the ocean, it’s good for my soul,” said Leonie, who plans to spend her retirement discovering new beaches and places to swim at when she isn’t busy extending a helping hand to her daughters or visiting her grandchildren in Warrnambool.

While changing focus on who she is caring for is not a huge shift away from what she has been doing most of her life, her daily commute to Berwick for work each week and her presence around the hospital will be notably absent.

“I started at Berwick Bush Nursing Hospital when it was still very, very small and most doctors and surgeons considered Berwick to be out in the sticks, making it hard for them to make the trip out this way to review patients or want to work there,” said Leonie.

Having gone through a couple of extensions and renovations during her many years at Berwick, Leonie has seen a lot change in health care practices, the community and of course the hospital itself.

“I swear the old hospital was haunted,” said Leonie who couldn’t pin point exactly what made her feel uneasy about working the afternoon and night shifts, but admitted to getting the “heebie-jeebies” and it not being too uncommon to “come screaming around corners”.

All jokes aside, Leonie has seen the hospital grow from a small community-based facility with baby-viewing outside of strict visiting hours mandated to behind a glass window only, to one that would eventually expand to include separate medical and surgical wards — which of course resulted in attracting more surgeons and along with them bigger, more complex cases.

Doctors were beginning to have more faith in the hospital’s capabilities and with that came the opportunity to extend its services, making bowel and joint surgery available closer to home for the local community.

“The hospital was growing, changing and evolving constantly,” said Leonie. “Everyone was up for a challenge and we did it well. It’s probably the reason why I stayed so long,” she added.

Once it became clear that the hospital and its services were beginning to outgrow its Gibb street location, plans were made to build and relocate to a much bigger facility on Kangan Drive, which eventually opened in 2018.

According to Leonie, there was a lot of concern shared by not only doctors and staff but the community in general, that the move would negatively impact on the existing hospital’s small-town vibe given its 100-year history and presence on Gibb Street, Berwick.

“We were all quite anxious about how the hospital would be affected by the move, but it turned out to be nothing to worry about,” said Leonie. “It’s still a lovely feel to walk around the hospital and know that the same community culture still exists there.”

That feeling for Leonie is not just limited to the hospital itself, she believes the “great culture” extends to students and new graduates who begin their careers at the new facility.

“It’s been very rewarding for me to see students and grads come back to work for us, get married, have children and eventually end up running wards as well,” she said. “I see them grow professionally and personally — become very good clinically. I’m very fond of them.”

It’s not only the people she works with who she’ll miss the most upon retirement Leonie remarked. “Having an opportunity to touch the lives of patients is a really satisfying gift. Whether their journey be big or small or even if it means helping people say goodbye to a loved one, it’s all pretty special to me.”

With a 35-acre farm to manage, cows to tend, and lawns to mow, Leonie’s content to put away the nurse’s uniform in favour of the ride-on lawn mower for now but hasn’t ruled out a return to nursing altogether.

“I’m just happy doing what I’m doing at the moment but you never know what’s down the track or what the future holds.”

What we do know however is that after 33 years roaming the halls of Berwick’s community hospitals, Leonie’s presence will be sorely missed. We wish her well in her retirement.

L to R: Pat Jones, Leonie Wills and Jeanette Cronin in 2005

Saying farewell to... Alan Bryan, SEM Catering Manger

It is with great sadness that we farewell Alan Bryan from the role of SEM Catering Manager. Alan has made the decision to retire and spend some much needed time with family, effective from Thursday 28th March 2024.

Alan has had a long career at SJG with over 15 years of service at our Frankston and Berwick hospitals. After a number of different roles, including Catering Manager, Catering Consultant and Hotel Services Manager, Alan graciously agreed to take on our SEM Catering Manager role, overseeing all 3 of our SEM kitchens.

Alan and the catering leadership team were awarded the CEO Award in late 2023 following the succesful rollout of room service at our Berwick hospital.

It has been a privilege to work with Alan, he is always providing exceptional service to our patients and caregivers and has been an enormous support, advocate and mentor to the catering teams. We will miss Alan’s sound advice and guidance, his calm approach, his knowledge and sense of humour.

UKG rollout

UKG is our new workforce management solution for scheduling, leave and time & attendance. It has recently been rolled out successfully at all 3 south east Melbourne hospitals, replacing Kronos.

Project Manager, Noel Ryan was present on-site at each hospital in the lead up, ensuring managers and caregivers were trained and prepared for the move to a new platform.

UKG allows caregivers to:

• View schedules in real-time

• Update their availability status

• Submit leave requests

• Review their timecards

• Request shift swaps with others

• Request open shifts

If you have any questions or need a step-by-step guide, please search UKG on Cora to find learning modules, information and FAQ, or ask your manager.

Going GREEN

Did you know our SEM Environmental Committee meets regularly to discuss ideas and strategies to ensure our hospitals are functioning in a way that is environmentally sustainable?

One of the recent initiatives at Frankston has been swapping the shower curtains over for an environmentally-friendly disposable option. This will save time, water and power by not having to wash them after every patient discharge.

If you have an idea you’d like to share, please email SEM-Environmental-Committee@sjog.org.au

As seen on social media!

Infection Control: Finalising this season’s Flu program

We are still finalising the FLU sessions for across the 3 SEM sites with our program geared to start on Thursday, 4th April, onward. QR-codes are currently being prepared by Group, in order to link to IC-Net Protect caregiver database.

Stay tuned for the dates/times/sites to be published in the following week (pending arrival of our vaccine supply from HPS).

Below are excerpts of info from the DoH/ATAGI:

• we will be using the egg-based Influvac-Tetra product

• for caregivers & volunteers 65+yo, we will be sourcing the gov’t-funded higher dose quadrivalent FLU vaccine

Worth-noting:

• influenza vaccines are inactivated (non-live), and will not give the recipient the FLU (disease)!

• HCWs are expected to avail themselves of the seasonal FLU vaccine each year- written signed exemptions from GPs, valid only for this season

• SEM-SJG is required to submit our FLU uptake to the DoH

• all encounters are mandated to be reported to the Aust. Immunisation Register by the IPC team;

• caregivers will be able to view their records on their myGov-Medicare account

• there is NO COST to the caregivers for this service

Suzie Marquez, Infection Control Manager

St John of God Day 2024

To understand what St John of God Day is, we must first take the time to stop and reflect on the life and story of the man, Saint John of God, whose actions inspired our founding Sisters, and continue to inspire us today.

John Cidade was born in Portugal on March 8, 1495. After being removed from his family at the mere age of eight, John was transported across the border to Spain where he lived with a large estate owner who trained him to be a Shepherd. When he reached adulthood he left to join the Spanish army in the war against France.

In his forties, John decided to settle in Granada where he opened a book stall near the Elvira Gate. Known as the Patron Saint of Librarians because of his strong connections to books, John was one of the first to hear that the celebrated theologian, John of Avila was coming to preach outside the city.

Delivering a sermon on the blessedness of the poor, the hungry and the sorrowful (a foreign concept at the time), John of Avila’s words forced John to break down and he began punishing himself by rolling on the ground and asking people to humiliate him—which they did for three days. After tearing most of his clothes off and leaving himself wearing only a shirt and a pair of trousers, John was taken by two men to the Royal Hospital for the mentally unwell. John was subjected to regular whippings and drenchings in cold water — a common therapy for the warders at the time.

Upon hearing of the effect his sermon had on John, John of Avila sent one of his followers to inform him to use his time to prepare himself for his return to the world. Soon after John left the hospital and began work among

the poor. He established a house where he wisely tended to the needs of the sick poor. He went beyond the practises of the day to improve the health and wellbeing of those in his care. He washed his hands between patients. Changed linen between patients. He treated those who were sick or vulnerable with compassion.

Instead of standing with a begging bowl, John went from house to house soliciting medical supplies and encouraging people to help. As he walked the streets he would be heard calling out: “Brothers and sisters do yourself some good by doing some good for others.” By day John attended to the needs of his patients and the hospital. John identified with the people he served — he saw himself as one of them. John worked from a position of simplicity, rather than strength.

The resources he had to draw on were care, respect, kindness and faith. John cared for those he could, and called on the people of Granada with greater resources to help those that he couldn’t. John helped others to be compassionate too. John treated everyone he met with dignity and respect, and he enjoyed what he did. John’s humour and laughter were as familiar to the people of Granada as his acts of compassion and kindness.

Each year on March 8 (the day John was born and also the day he died) we take the time to reflect on the life and legacy of John of God. Like him, we care for patients and clients with compassion and seek to respond to the needs of some of the most vulnerable people in the community. Just as John did, we honour the dignity of the people we serve and treat them with respect as we welcome them into places of safety and care.

FRANKSTON NEWS

Meet the Speech Pathology team

Georgia – Has been with SJG for 20+ years. Fun fact is she took a temporary position and never imagined she would be here 20 years later! She enjoys the outdoors and has just returned from LSL skiing in the snowy alps of Sweden with her family

Jenny – Has been with SJG for 14 years. She enjoys the beach, long walks in the outdoor and camping

Deb – Has been with SJG for 4 years. She came to us initially as a student doing her Masters and was so good that when the opportunity arose we employed her! Deb loves camping and travelling with her family.

Steph – Just joined our team after covering LSL last year. She is so excited to be re-joining us.

Katherine – Just joined our team as a casual.

The Frankston Speech Pathology Team diagnose and treat the following issues:

• Speaking and understanding difficulties

• Fluency issues eg stuttering

• Voice issues

• Swallowing issues

• Facial palsy

Our services have recently expanded to encompass a regular service to Berwick.

Steph is at Berwick every Monday and Friday and Deb is at Berwick every second Wednesday. A service will be provided to all wards.

Steph and Deb would like to thank the Berwick staff for the warm welcome they have given them and their enthusiasm at having access to regular speech pathology.

It is Facial Palsy Awareness Week!

Jenny , Deb and Georgia have a speciality in management of facial palsy and work with Dr Low rehabilitating smiles after facial reanimation surgery.

Facial palsy requires treatment by a specialist as misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment can lead to negative outcomes for the patient. There are very few specialists in Australia and we have 3 at SJG Frankston.

In an age where our face is used everywhere in social media ( Facebook, selfies, Instagram, dating sites etc) our patients with facial palsy are challenged on both a physical and emotional wellbeing level. A common theme from patients is that “its hard because not many people can understand the trauma of losing your face and how it can affect you”.

Our team works 1:1 with these patients and have been seeing some wonderful outcomes (smiles!) in return.

Our team at SJG are currently engaged in a research project looking at rehabilitation outcomes post facial

Above:

Deb Georgia Jenny Steph

Before and after photos of a patient with facial palsy

BERWICK NEWS

International Women’s Day (IWD)

Lisa Norman, SJGHC SEM Hospitals General Manager and Dr Sugandha Kumar, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist were key note speakers at Federation University’s International Women’s Day event.

Lisa Norman, General Manager of St John of God South East Melbourne Hospitals, and Berwick obstetrician and gynaecologist, Dr Sugandha Kumar were invited as keynote speakers at an International Women’s Day event at Federation University. They were pleased to share the stage with Mikaela Power, Assoc. Director Partnerships and Growth Global and Engagement, Federation University.

Both Lisa and Dr Kumar shared their personal experiences as successful females in health care and offered insight into how we can move forward as an inclusive society which values men and women equally.

Both speakers were asked what IWD means to them.

“An opportunity to celebrate women and the difference we make,” replied Lisa Norman.

Dr Sugandha Kumar explained, “To reflect on the strides we have made and challenges that lie ahead.”

Sister Bridget Clancy Scholarship for the Empowerment of Women through Education

On International Women’s Day we were proud to announce the winners of the Sister Bridget Clancy Scholarship for the Empowerment of Women through Education, Ally James (Berwick Allied Health Assistant) and Jess Laurito (NUM, Langmore Centre)

This scholarship is a tangible way SJGHC is showing active and genuine support to caregivers. It was initiated by the Sisters of St John of God in recognition of 150 years since their foundation.

Ally will use the scholarship to undertake postgraduate qualifications in physiotherapy.

“I was very grateful to be chosen and know that it will help further my career in physio,” said Ally.

Jess is undertaking a Master of Health Administration and says, “I am grateful for the oportunity to continue developing my management and project skills which I can then apply to my role at Langmore Centre.”

Above: Ally James, Allied Health Assistant, St John of God Berwick Hospital

LANGMORE NEWS

Are you a new parent?

Do you have a loved one welcoming a baby?

Did you know we have a beautiful Parent and Infant Unit located at the Langmore Centre in Berwick?

Perinatal (sometimes known as antenatal and/ or postnatal) mental health is used to describe the psychological wellbeing of new parents during pregnancy through to their baby’s first birthday. It’s during this time that secure connections are made between parents and their baby. It’s a vital time to reach out for support to avoid impacting this bond.

Perinatal anxiety and depression is more common than you might think. Women are more likely to experience depression and anxiety during the perinatal period than at any other time in their lives.

More than 100,000 Australian parents are affected by perinatal anxiety and/or depression each year. Many do not reach out for support until they are at crisis point, trying to cope alone.

Our newly designed and built Parent and Infant Unit, at St John of God Langmore Centre in Berwick, welcomes all parents and families

One in six mums and one in ten fathers experience some degree of perinatal depression, with this number escalating to one in five mums who experience perinatal anxiety.

Becoming a parent is a life-changing event, even when it’s positive it can be extremely challenging and overwhelming. Especially when dealing with the demands of a new baby.

Early recognition of perinatal mental health symptoms is crucial as this leads to the provision of early intervention, which is important for recovery of mental wellbeing and creating secure attachments with baby.

Some signs of perinatal mental illness include feeling:

• Anxious/overwhelmed

• Struggling to enjoy your baby or avoiding caring for your baby

• Worrisome, scary thoughts about you or your baby

• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt

• Flashbacks/nightmares about the birth

• Confusion, unable to make decisions

• Sleep and/or appetite disturbances

• Fatigue, loss of energy, struggling to do daily tasks or look after yourself properly

• Grieving your ‘old self’

• Thoughts your baby doesn’t love you or would be better off with someone else

• Withdrawing from family and friends

• Thoughts of suicide, wanting to escape

• Baby blues

• Baby bonding through skin-to-skin contact

St John of God Langmore Centre Parent and Infant Unit provides support to enable all parents to enjoy a positive start to the parenting journey.

If you need some advise or support please call the team during business hours:

03 9773 7071 or visit our website by scanning the QR code.

Workplace Wellbeing

Caregiver support via the emplyee assistance program (EAP)

Converge is SJGHC’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provider. Free and confidential counselling and support is available to you and your immediate family, facilitated by Converge International.

Our EAP provides short-term assistance for a range of work-related and personal referrals (see EAP services list below). Up to six sessions (per issue/s) are provided at no expense to the caregiver or their immediate family. Referral to longer-term specialised support or services can be arranged if required.

Services are provided independent of St John of God Health Care by qualified professionals including psychologists, social workers and management coaches, who work directly with caregivers through one-on-one appointments.

You can access our EAP services is confidential, without approval required or referral from a manager or supervisor.

To schedule an appointment you can call 1300 687 327, book through our free caregiver wellbeing app (search EAP Connect App in Apple/Google app store) or visit the online portal (www.convergeinternational.com.au) and enter these log-in details:

Username: SJGHC

Password: EAP

Organisation code: STJKOVJ

Via the portal you can:

• make a booking to talk to a professional

• download handy hint sheets on a range of health, wellbeing and career development topics

• access articles on health and wellbeing, career development and other interesting topics.

• In the portal you will also find informative videos, tip sheets, topical articles and events to aid your career development and nurture your wellbeing

Putting Kindness into Action

1. Find joy in the act. Choose kind deeds that genuinely bring you joy. If you don’t enjoy the act of kindness, you’re less likely to experience its positive effects. Conversely, if you appear unenthusiastic or inauthentic, the recipients may perceive the gesture as insincere.

2. Keep the focus on others. While kindness can bring personal satisfaction, it’s crucial to remember that the primary purpose is to benefit the recipients, not for our own gain

3. Avoid overextending. If you discover that you’re expending all your energy on helping others, it’s essential to take a moment to recharge.

4. Sometimes, we may want to assist others as a distraction from our own problems, but it’s vital to prioritise selfkindness. Additionally, helping others doesn’t always require financial resources or extensive time commitments.

5. Understand the fine line between kindness and rescuing behaviour – err on the side of kindness always. Generally, rescuing is unhelpful for a range of well-known reasons. Stay on the side of kindness and don’t overstep personal or professional boundaries as creating dependence is unhelpful to the person you’re trying to support.

*taken from Converge EAP Tipsheet

Learn about: Berwick Pre-Admissions

Who are we?

The Berwick pre-admissions team consists of 11 caregivers: NUM, ANUM, PPT & casual workforce.

Anna Macente (NUM), Brenda Flores (ANUM), Fiona Missen, Cess Bustamante, Nicole Sheedy, Kinta Rinaldi, Roy Diapo, Jessica Butler, Jennifer O’Brien, Joanne Santo and

Where are we?

The team is located on ground floor with a PAN screening room in the service corridor and shared space with business office team.

What do we do?

• Work closely with surgeon’s rooms and business office admin team

• All submitted PHQs are triaged and screened based on clinical complexity

• Tele screening submitted PHQs

• Nurse & physician-lead clinic

• Referral service by surgeons requesting pre surgical work up/clearance

• Team collaborates with public in private contract bookings

• Liaise with key stakeholders communicating clinical escalation, inpatient acuity, discharge planning and referral to allied support:

Lea Yap.

“I would say it’s an honour and a joy.”

Above: Erica Proposch, SEM Volunteer Coordinator

Erica Proposch will always remember her first day as SEM Volunteer Coordinator for all the right reasons.

It was soon after I arrived I was introduced to Polly, volunteering on Meet and Greet. Polly was standing in front of the concierge desk wearing the volunteer caregiver teal uniform. I truly love seeing the pop of teal throughout our hospitals. It was not long before I saw the values of St John of God in action – hospitality, compassion, respect, justice and excellence.

Polly stepped forward towards a visitor, smiled and asked, “Can I help you?” I saw Polly direct people to the consulting suites, having casual and light conversation as they walked together. I watched as Polly gently prompted people who were waiting for admissions to get the items they needed ready. Polly was approached by a gentleman, frustrated with the parking machine. Polly went over and assisted and then they shared a laugh as the gentleman realised he was putting his ticket in the wrong slot. Heaven knows we have all done that, more than once…

In a short space of time it was evident the difference Polly’s presence was making with her gentle, helpful, respectful, relaxed approach.

So enough from me, let’s hear from Polly

“My interest to volunteer was aroused when friends working at SJG mentioned about volunteering availability. I became motivated when picturing myself helping visitors and patients.

If I was to describe my role as a meet and greet volunteer at SJG, I would say it’s an honour and a joy.

The joy for me at meet and greet is the contact and communication I am able to have with the folks that come in, to practise my social skills still at my age (78), to listen to the people and their stories when there’s time and to share life’s journey with each other, even in smallest way - it still has meaning.

I just love meet and greet. It’s a great pleasure to connect with people as they enter the foyer and being

able to show them support and direction to where they have to go, show interest in them and put a smile on their faces with a bit of a light hearted chat.

The volunteers bring comfort, care and welcome to visitors showing each person that SJG is a friendly environment.

If there is ever a situation where I don’t know how to help, I never hesitate to approach the caregivers at reception who always give their help readily. We work well together.

To anyone thinking about volunteering, I would say it’s a big yes from me, give it a GO.”

Thank you, Polly and all the volunteers for the lasting impression that remains when you welcome and assist visitors and patients and for ensuring the values of SJG are alive in all that you give and do. You are greatly appreciated.

By Erica Proposch, Volunteer Coordinator

Above: Polly, Berwick volunteer

Caregiver profile

“When someone says to me, ‘But do you know how old I will be by the time I learn to really play the piano/act/paint/ write a decent play?’ Yes! The exact same age you will be if you don’t.” – Julia Cameron, author, teacher, artist, poet, playwright, novelist, filmmaker, composer and journalist.

The words of Julia Cameron immediately spring to mind when you meet Leanne Bluett who, after a career spanning almost 30 years in administration, decided that you’re never too old to follow your dreams or learn something new.

“I was horse-riding with a friend who, as an ANUM at the former St John of God Berwick Hospital’s Gibb Street location, suggested that I’d make a good theatre technician,” Leanne said, who at age 45 had not considered changing jobs within her own industry, let alone embarking on a career in a new one that would require tertiary study to boot.

And yet little did Leanne know that despite her initial response being one of doubt and disbelief, a seed had already begun to be sown.

“I’d had a number of major surgeries throughout my life and a brother who had been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at four years of age — sadly dying from it at 50 — so I knew these experiences, my empathy and my

LEANNE BLUETT

compassion would help me be good at caring for other people.”

Later that same year Leanne graduated from Mayfield Education as a qualified operating theatre technician and began her foray into the medical field alongside her horse-riding friend and ANUM, Nicola Bletcher.

Fast becoming known for her exceptional hand-holding capabilities, expert administration of gel-pads and the use of the Bair Hugger (a forced air warming blanket), Leanne was making a name for herself not only for her ‘teching’ skills but more importantly for the way she made patients feel safe, comfortable and relaxed while in her care.

“One of the biggest rewards I get out of being a theatre tech is when patients return and they remember me and the care I have given them.” Leanne said, adding “I always make it a point to hold a patient’s hand right up until they are off to sleep and ready for surgery.”

And while Leanne was well-received by her colleagues and patients alike, she was also being requested by surgeons to be part of their regular operating teams — urogynaecologist Dr Natharnia Young being one of them. “She was an excellent tech, always attentive, respectful and caring. She enjoys a chat with patients and puts

them at ease — treating them more like a friend, a mother, a daughter, or a grandmother, than a patient,” she said.

Dr Young was impressed not only with Leanne’s dedication to her role as a theatre tech but her thirst for continuous learning. “She performed her tech duties while watching more carefully in theatre, studying on the job and always asking medical questions.”

Despite this passion for her profession coming to her later in life, what started out as an interest in expanding Leanne’s knowledge with questions and reading books on anatomy during her breaks, eventually led her to consider a career in nursing, so it was back to school for her — at age 50 no less.

“Leanne is an inspiration to women upskilling to nursing while tirelessly working, studying and managing her family life,” Dr Young said. “I have been able to watch her career change from theatre tech to nursing and it has been a great privilege to work with her.”

Graduating as an EN with medication endorsement in September last year after three years of study while working full time is no easy feat, but for Leanne the transition into nursing seemed to be a natural progression for someone not content with resting on their laurels.

“I always loved teching but I just wanted to further challenge myself,” Leanne said, acknowledging that the more she was told from the people she worked with that she should pursue a qualification in nursing, the quieter her thoughts of “now I’m really getting too old for that,” became.

Despite the courage, determination and sheer hard work it takes to move outside your comfort zone, especially at an age most people are closer to retirement than starting out in their careers, Leanne credits St John of God Health Care, the doctors, nurses and colleagues she’s worked with for the speed of her achievements and level of accomplishment she has gained over the past eight years.

“Everyone has been really supportive and helpful. The amount of questions I’ve had answered, the opportunities that have been provided to me, the encouragement and reminders that I can do it and that I’m not too old, have helped me keep going when I’ve felt like giving up at times,” Leanne explained, citing the sacrificing of annual leave to attend placements as being difficult to manage.

“I could never go back to a desk or office job though. I love being hands on and working at St John of God Berwick Hospital. The people I work with have been amazing. I have no words. I’ll be forever grateful to all of them.”

When asking the recent nursing grad (who now enjoys mentoring new theatre techs and continues to maintain

her role as a dedicated Gold Star Hand Hygiene Officer which she’s held for the past four years) what her future plans are — it’s no surprise to learn that she doesn’t intend to be a scrub scout nurse forever.

“During my last placement, I had the honour and privilege of holding the hands of a patient as she passed away and later her daughter brought in flowers and a card to thank me for helping make her mother’s passing a beautiful moment for her and her mum. It was something I will never forget and an experience I think I could help more people go through,” she admitted.

For now though, Leanne plans to indulge in her love of being a theatre tech one day a week, while continuing to grow her skills as an enrolled nurse the rest of the time.

“A lot of nurses would love the opportunity to work in theatre, so it’s not something I take for granted, but there’s just something special about teching and the closeness that comes from one-to-one patient care that I really enjoy.”

While Leanne’s pathway into health care might have been traversed on a road less travelled by most, it is a great reminder to us all that while no one can ever go back and make a brand new start — anyone, at any time, with the right support, determination and expert degree of “handholding” — can in fact, not only make a brand new ending to their own life, but a big difference to the lives of others.