Early attraction
When I was in high school, I did work placement in a palliative care unit, assisting people in their last days of life. I have to admit, it was a confronting experience for a 16-year-old, but also surprisingly rewarding knowing you were making a difference, even in the smallest way. It sparked my interest to study nursing at uni.
After graduating with my RN degree, I did critical care work in hospitals for a few years. This required a lot of ‘thinking on my feet’. I gained such valuable experience by trusting my instinct, using my clinical knowledge, and being accountable for my decisions. At that time, I remember thinking more deeply about the role of looking after people. How can we better care for someone? Can we make them more comfortable? Can we improve their quality of life?
A change in career path
I hadn’t considered aged care as part of my career path early on, until I took on a role as a RN for HammondCare within one of their residential aged care homes. I had a young family at the time and the flexibility I was provided around working after hours and on the weekend worked well with my family commitments.
Following this, an opportunity came up for me to move into a management position as Clinical Care Manager with HammondCare At Home. A colleague had shared their positive experience and I was encouraged to make the move from residential care to home care.
It was a big step up, and looking back, probably the most pivotal. I was on the road travelling in the community, visiting home care clients, and I was attracted to the ‘9 to 5’ aspect now that my children were older.
