Leadership and Passion: One nurse's global journey (Hunter)
Hunter New England Health is getting ready to recognise the value and achievements of its more than 7000 nurses tomorrow during International Nurses Day tomorrow (Tuesday 12 May).
This year, in addition to many celebrations being held in individual facilities, HNE Health nurses will further build on their culture of innovation by tuning into a webstream to hear the experiences of HNE Health nurse Bev Cooney.
Bev will share her tale of how her dream holiday to Peru in 2003 turned into the most fulfilling career change of her life.
While on holiday, Bev was moved by the poor access to healthcare suffered by the country’s children.
With the full support of HNE Health, she has since helped to improve the standard of living in the volatile province of Satipo, 400km east of the country’s capital, Lima, by sending over medical equipment and instigating a surgical program to correct simple deformities in children.
She has since retired and moved to the province, where she built her own home as well as a new school and rehabilitation centre for disabled children.
HNE Health Director of Nursing and Midwifery Chris Kewley said Bev’s tale was a perfect example of the innovative culture HNE Health provided for its nurses.
“Bev is just one of our many nurses making a difference in the community – in this case the global community – by simply thinking outside the box,” Mr Kewley said.
“Our organisation is 100 per cent behind any nurse or midwife who has an idea that has the potential to improve the standard of healthcare for any community.
“It’s great that we’re able to use International Nurses Day to further encourage excellence within our nursing workforce.”
A number of health services across the HNE Health Area will hold their own celebrations for International Nurses Day – please see the following page with a list of events.
Media are invited to attend celebrations at each health service for interviews, photographs and footage.
International Nurses Day Events
Muswellbrook Hospital
Activity: Barbecue lunch for nurses
Time: 12.30pm, Tuesday 12 May
Scone District Health Service
Activity: Morning tea and hand massages for nurses
Day: Monday 18 May
Maitland Community Health
Activity: Barbecue lunch for nurses.
Time: 12.30pm, 12 May.
Cessnock Health Service
Activity: Pancake breakfast for all staff. Staff have also been invited to bring a nursing related photograph to contribute to a picture board. A cake will be cut for afternoon tea.
Time: Breakfast at 6am and cake cutting at 3pm on Wednesday, 13 May
Belmont Hospital
Activity: Afternoon tea for nursing staff
Time: 2.30pm, Tuesday 12 May
Manning Hospital
Activity: Barbecue lunch for nurses
Time: 12.30pm, Tuesday 12 May
John Hunter Hospital
Activity: Morning tea in each ward, a ward decorating competition and a special display depicting the history of nursing will be displayed in the JHH foyer.
Time: From 10am, Tuesday 12 May.
Contact: Emma Gibbs
Phone: 6767 7137