Bundaberg community members are encouraged to say thank you to local nurses on Friday to recognise International Nurses Day on 12 May.
According to Mater’s perioperative and patient care manager Monica Mooney, who began her nursing career in Bundaberg 25 years ago and now manages more than 90 nurses, Mater Private Hospital Bundaberg might not be the biggest hospital – but it has one of the best nursing teams in Queensland.
Monica will be celebrating the work of her colleagues – and nurses around the world – this International Nurses Day, on Friday 12 May.
“Mater Private Hospital Bundaberg is not a major metro hospital, but our size is our strength,” the mum-of-two said.
“We are a close team who know one another really well – and that means we deliver great care for our patients.
“Our staff were finalists in six categories in the Mater People Awards last year and we won three of them.
“I’m so proud of how well we did and the work we do every day.”
Monica originally wanted to be an archaeologist, but her older sister Loretta convinced her that nursing would be a better career option.
Both sisters were following in the footsteps of their grandmother, Rose Ryman, who worked as a nurse in Bundaberg during the Second World War.
“My grandmother never boasted, but she was quietly very proud that I followed her into a caring profession and into a job that really resonated with her,” Monica said.
“I attended university in Brisbane at ACU and in my post-graduate year I rotated through different speciality areas, including the operating theatres.
“I found the idea of working in theatres a bit daunting, but once I started I never left!
“I love being a nurse because there are so many different roles – and all of them are vital.
“It’s a real privilege to care for patients when they are at their most vulnerable. They can be scared and anxious, but it’s your job to let them know that everyone in the room is there for them.”
More than 3,500 procedures are performed at Mater Private Hospital Bundaberg each year and the number is growing. Key specialties include orthopaedic, ENT, neurological and gynaecological surgery.
Hospital General Manager Catherine Hackney, who began her career as a Mater nurse, said her nursing team delivered exceptional, compassionate care to Wide Bay residents.
“Our nurses are highly skilled and focused on delivering high-quality care for all our private and public patients,” Ms Hackney said.
“Our standards of care are exceptionally high – and that’s down to the fantastic team of nurses we have here in Bundaberg.”
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