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?
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.
An opportunity arose within the residential team as assistant manager, and my temporary contract became a permanent position. In mid-2022, a residential manager position became available and I moved up into that role.
I’m lucky to have experienced both home care and residential care with the same employer, an opportunity provided to me because I was a registered nurse. Being a RN on the floor before I went into the home care team gave me insight into the needs of older people coupled with valuable awareness of HammondCare's unique approach to caring for the whole person.
HammondCare has provided a great work-life balance and I’ve been able to change my roles according to personal circumstances as my children grew.
I heard HammondCare was building a new aged care home in Adelaide, from a casual conversation with one of my managers, who encouraged me to consider applying. I'd enjoyed stepping into the residential manager’s position, but was also keen for a new challenge.
I was excited by the opportunity to build a new team and be involved in the development of a new home incorporating expertise in environments purpose-built for people living with dementia. The accumulated knowledge and experience I could draw on gave me confidence, so I accepted the residential manager role and moved my family to Adelaide.
There is a stigma associated with nursing in aged care. Though, the reality is, residential aged care homes are not like hospitals - you are with the same people over a longer period of time, allowing you to build relationships, trust, and rapport with the people you care for and their loved ones. You really get to know people on a deeper level.
There are so many opportunities for RNs in the aged care sector, perhaps even more than a hospital environment. My personal experience has shown that RNs are highly valued. I’ve been given career opportunities I never dreamt of, all from starting out as a RN.
HammondCare’s Mission and motivation is the reason why I joined as it resonates strongly with me – being able to help those others can’t or won’t. This is a good reason alone for anyone to work with the organisation!