WHEN Jessica Bennett of Kurrajong graduated as one of seven new graduate nurses at Hawkesbury Hospital on Friday afternoon, she was amongst old friends.
“My mum was a nurse here and a lot of people here remember me being born here!” she said.
Now she’s graduated she’ll be helping with medical and surgical cases in the Barry Collins ward at the hospital.
Four of the other graduates will also be staying at Hawkesbury to begin their nursing careers.
Bronte Corry of Cranebrook, though, will be leaving –jumping in the deep end of Westmead’s emergency department at the end of February.
“It’ll be crazy!” she said. “I’ve taken it because I want to learn. I’ve been itching to get into a big hospital.
“If I stay here I’ll get too comfortable and never leave!” she laughed.
She said she’d loved working in Hawkesbury’s intensive care unit.
“I’ve always wanted to work in an ICU and get critical care experience,” she said. “It’s really interesting – I loved learning about ventilation and finding out everything about a patient. In an ICU it’s one-on-one or two-on-one and you get very knowledgeable about patients.
“I might also go to paeds – I love working with kids too. Every time I try something, I love it!”
When asked if they’d watched Anzac Girls on the TV recently about Australian nurses in World War I on the isle of Lemnos near Gallipoli, Bronte said “Yes! I don’t think I could have done it under those conditions. Mum said you’re going to have to get used to those sorts of wounds!”.
The other nurse not staying to work at Hawkesbury was one who couldn’t stop grinning during the whole graduation celebration – Becky Edosowman, who will be doing a midwifery course, but will be casual at Hawkesbury until she completes it.
The other graduates staying at Hawkesbury were Vanessa Elvins, Laura Julefff, Elizabeth Sheehan and Darcy Wood.
The ceremony to mark their graduation from the hospital’s new graduate program invoked one of the most famous nurses in the world.
A huge candle was lit signifying Florence Nightingale’s legacy (‘the lady with the lamp’), establishing a connection with all nurses past, present and future. Little candles scattered at its base represented the seeds of the pomegranate, the St John of God symbol.
Director of Mission Lisa Connell praised the nurses’ dedication. “We do realise the effort and the passion you put into it,” she said. She talked about the importance of real caregivers and the power of touch.
The hospital’s manager of learning and development, Evelyn Taylor said their careers would be a journey of discovery with many challenges. She quoted the Dalai Lama, saying that if you have kindness, a good heart, an education and absolute honesty, you will go in the right direction.
