Celebrating International Nurses Day

First published: May 2024

International Nurses Day, celebrated around the world on the 12^th May each year, recognises the importance of healthcare professionals, in particular recognising the role that nurses play in our society. This day, the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth, calls to our attention the unwavering commitment that nurses show everyday across every sector of the healthcare industry. The unsung heroes of our world, we champion their dedication, passion, and desire to put the public first, putting themselves in challenging situations day in, day out.

The slogan for this year is ‘Our Nurses, Our Future’ and we fully believe in the constant conversation to reaffirm nurses’ importance in society. Our nursing team is made up of incredible individuals who remain selfless and steadfast in times of need, ensuring round the clock resident safety and delivery of high-quality aged care services. We are in awe of their hard work and sacrifices, and appreciate them every single day. To display our appreciation for nurses globally and to get to know more about what motivates our nurses, we have spoken to a few members of our wonderfully diverse community to get hear about their nursing journey.

Our aged care nursing team

Kingsley, Assistant in Nursing

Kingsley’s background to the nursing industry lies in his missionary work in Nigeria. He carried out this work across the country, caring for the elderly and sick in hospital settings. He migrated to Australia seven years ago, and through his desire to help those in need and given his experience with old people, he decided to enter the aged care industry in 2020.

“Nursing to me is all about having the passion and utter dedication to provide the best care for residents and patients. What I personally gain from nursing is having the opportunity to reflect on my actions and those I interact with, seeing everyday as a chance to develop my knowledge and life skills with the mindset to better myself in my personal and professional life. Building rapport with the residents is a major advantage to the aged care industry, as you can make genuine friends with those in your care as opposed to coming in for your next shift and not knowing who you will be assigned too.”

“Looking back on my career, I have realised I have developed the ability to actively listen. A lot of my job is simply listening and seeing situations from an alternative point of view. Sometimes, a hand to hold and comforting ear is all that is required from you that day. Giving something so simple means a huge amount to residents, who are in the twilight years of their life. You are embarking on a new journey with them, so providing reassurance and support when needed makes all the difference.”

Kingsley is currently studying his Bachelor of Nursing and has completed placements for his studies alongside his work. “I have received good feedback from my superiors whilst working and this injects more confidence in my abilities, affirming that I have picked the career that is right for me. As well as seeing positives in my career flourishing, it has allowed me to get to know the nursing industry in Australia as a whole. It is developing, and developing in a good way. Lots of my friends are also considering going into nursing. They are understanding the need to help and support our public, whether that is in aged care or in another sector. The efforts being made to support nurses are more prevalent now than they were before.”

For International Nurses Day, I usually speak to my aunt who is living in Nigeria. She is a nurse, and we recognise and celebrate each other and our efforts to keep our community healthy and safe. Being a globally recognised event, it gives us the opportunity to share our respect for each other in a professional capacity and provides a connection that runs alongside our familial bond.

Justin, Registered Nurse

Justin has been in the healthcare industry since he was 16, starting off as a volunteer medic. This progressed to an Assistant in Nursing role in the mental health and disability sectors in Ireland. A big learning curve for him was working through the Covid-19 pandemic, which hit Ireland particularly hard, leaving him to think on his feet and adapt quickly to a unique situation. He was heavily involved in palliative and end of life care, and after migrating to Australia a year and a half ago, he jumped straight into aged care putting his experience to good use.

“I have worked across multiple healthcare sectors, and what I like about aged care is that you support the individual medically, but you also get the time to know them on a personal level. Retaining a resident’s dignity and respect whilst assisting them in daily activities allows you to form a deep bond with those in your care, something which you cannot gain from other healthcare settings. I personally try to promote this approach a lot, and after becoming a senior medication competent AIN, the nurses that I oversaw the training of, I always had this as the underlying notion in my teachings. It is a privilege to be with a resident in this time of their lives.”

“I took a break from aged care and became a funeral director for a short while. After returning to aged care, I had an even deeper understanding of the importance of being a key individual at this point in their lives. I have attended the funerals of residents in my care, at request of the families, and have kept in contact with the families even after the passing. You move from a carer to a friend, and it is imperative to remember that you are going to be one of the people they are going to interact with the most in the later stages of their life. By keeping in mind ‘how would you want your loved one to be treated?’, you ensure that the level of care delivered is to the highest quality it can be.”

“You can absolutely progress in the industry and the financial rewards you can receive are great, but it is not about that. It is s about having a clear purpose to respect, assist and care whilst retaining their independence. Residents need to be viewed as people, always. You give them assistance when they need it, without doing the job for them. For anyone considering a career in the healthcare industry, do not forget you cannot move mountains, but your actions can have a profound difference to individuals. Expect the unexpected and learn to go with it.”

Maria, roaming Care Manager

Maria began working in 2007 as an AIN whilst studying her Bachelor of Nursing. She transitioned back into aged care after working as an operating theatre registered nurse in 2014 as a care manager. Her job titles since have been facility manager, both stationary and roving, and commissioning manager.

“I’ve worked for a long time in the nursing industry and in particular, in a managerial role. I have always been blessed with a fantastic team in each of my homes. I have worked with some incredible people along the way and the nursing industry is full of people who are resilient and understanding. I have seen people flourish from entry level jobs to managerial roles, and having the perfect balance of empathy and fairness will allow you to be successful in this role.”

“The aged care industry can give you a real platform to progress your career and in a timely manner. Starting from the bottom is a good thing. It allows you to develop your knowledge, skills, and means you can walk before you jump. There are many transferable skills that you need to be a good nurse on a job competency level, but in terms of your personal identity, remaining patient, humble, and respecting everyone no matter their role will allow you to go far.”

“Be aware you will face difficult situations in the nursing industry. This can be with your residents/patients but also with your colleagues. Approach each situation with calmness and with a problem-solving focus. Communication is key with both of your residents and your colleagues/managers. It can be such a fast-paced way to work, miscommunication can happen. Any issues can be worked out by sitting down and understanding each other before jumping to conclusions. This goes for nurse-to-resident, peer-to-peer, and colleague-to-manager relationships. Endeavouring to understand the why, as opposed to taking everything at face value, is a key factor in nursing.”

Nursing is a sector that is versatile, extremely rewarding and puts you in unique positions every day. The possibilities are endless when it comes to the aged care industry; you can travel whilst working, climb the ladder and advance your career into management, work in a range of communities with people from a variety of cultural backgrounds, and develop yourself in a way that benefits your personal and professional life. This International Nurses Day, we are thanking each one of you for your continuous commitment to the people that you care for selflessly every day. The International Nurses Day motto of #OurNursesOurFuture is just as important today as it was yesterday, and every day to come.

Feeling inspired and ready to be a part of the nursing community?

We are always looking for amazing individuals to become a part of Sanctuary Recruitment. To find out what the nursing profession could look like for you, get in contact with us today.