The life of a community nurse comes with its own unique set of challenges.
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From snakes in unexpected places and unfriendly dogs to gravel roads with no mobile reception, with more than 25 years of experience behind her, Anne Gillespie says she has seen just about everything.
A community nurse based at Scottsdale hospital in the state’s North East, Mrs Gillespie said the benefits of her job far outweighed the bad.
“Our clients want to be at home rather than in hospital so appreciate any care and are motivated to engage in improving their health,” she said.
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Mrs Gillespie was one of 30 professionals from the state’s North recognised for reaching 25 years of continuous service to Tasmanian health last year.
You really become a part of someone’s life when care for them in their own home.
- Anne Gillespie
From Bridport, Mrs Gillespie gained her nursing qualifications through a hospital-based training program at Launceston General Hospital, and for the past 18 years has worked as a community nurse.
Providing clinical care in people’s homes, she said her role varied from providing essential wound care to medication and symptom management.
But it was her work in palliative care that she said had brought the most fulfillment.
In 2017, Mrs Gillespie was recognised with a Palliative Care Tasmania Award for excellence in palliative care in a rural and remote setting.
The award celebrated her commitment to making a difference in the community as well as her passion for providing care during a patients final days.
Mrs Gillespie said she was “lucky” to receive the recognition and felt privileged to be able to help people towards the end of their life.
“I just think it is their last experience with the health system and its our last chance to get it right,” she said.
“So it is really quite fulfilling if we can help people.
“Particularly in the cases when patients want to die at home.
“You really become a part of someone’s life when you care for them in their own home.
“My advice to new nurses is to always have our patients at the centre of care.”
Considering the nature of her work, Mrs Gillepsie said keeping a work-life balance was incredibly important and when she was not on the job, she might be found running marathons.
“I figure I am lucky enough to be healthy enough to run, even if it’s slow,” she said.