PRECEDE: For 40 years, Sally has been the heart of Berwick’s hospital — a nurse, leader, and problem-solver whose care has touched generations. Gazette journalist Afraa Kori reports.
BREAKOUT QUOTE: “Always stay positive about what you can and can’t do.”
Sally always knew she was destined for nursing — it was in her blood, passed down from her mother and now carried on by her son.
“My mother was a nurse for many years at both Berwick Hospital and Kooweerup. I obviously inherited the nurse gene,” she said. “My son Scott became the third generation in our family to work at Berwick.”
Her 40-year career has been filled with rewarding moments, especially the ability to “make a positive difference to somebody’s life in what can be both the best and worst times of their life.” Yet 40 years is just a number: “what matters is what you do with that time and whether you can keep evolving and growing.”
“I’ve found a way to consistently give back to the community in a meaningful way. Caring for both people I’ve worked with and people I’ve known outside of the hospital is a special honour,” Sally said.
Being a person who uses humour as a default setting, Sally could tell many stories.
“The copious medical, personal and professional dramas and anecdotes of the hospital are the most memorable to me,” she shared.
“However, the time the hospital entered a float in the City of Casey street parade and the time we rescued a staff member’s cat from the ceiling space was a special highlight, and organising a wedding in the labour ward with 10 minutes notice. The baby was born half an hour later!”
When Sally first walked through the doors of Berwick Bush Nursing Hospital in 1984, she never imagined she’d become one of its longest-serving and most respected nurses.
“People ask me why I have been here so long. My answer is best described as a paraphrase from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians,” she said.
“St John of God Berwick Hospital may be a shiny new blue hospital and specialist centre with all kinds of clever technology. It may have an ever-growing roster of attending medical officers and well-qualified staff. It may be part of a huge and well-respected organisation, and it may only be 700 metres from home. But without love, it is nothing.”
She began her career as a midwife, later became a general nurse, and has spent the past 30 years as a nurse coordinator.
“Forty years, wow. It’s amazing how much the hospital has changed and yet remained the same. When I started at Berwick Bush Nursing Hospital in 1984 it was 24 beds: eight medical, eight surgical and eight maternity,” Sally said.
“Four nursing staff were rostered for a morning shift: three RNs and one EN. A workload not possible without strong teamwork. Health care computers were non-existent, nor were automated tools such as BP machines and oxygen probes.”
The hospital evolved into Berwick Hospital Incorporated and the hospital logo, ‘I Will Survive’, was seriously challenged.
“We had some very scary years, and we certainly embraced hope as we struggled financially,” Sally said.
“Finally, our prayers were answered when St John of God Health Care purchased the hospital.
“It was with a palpable sigh of relief that the staff thought, “We’ve been saved by St John of God.” They provided the networking and support necessary for us to grow, whereas before, we were just a small hospital, barely managing.”
The staff were very concerned that the holistic care and community ethos would be lost.
“But we need not have worried as the core values of St John of God Health Care were the strengths we needed to shape the future and have continued into the lovely 202 bed hospital we have today,” Sally said.
One of the significant changes she’s witnessed is how attitudes toward nurses have improved over the years.
“Despite not getting as much glory, nurses certainly get quite a lot of respect. So valued but differently,” Sally said.
“The nurses and caregivers were deeply involved in shaping our hospital — it wasn’t designed by people from an office, we had a real say, and it shows.
“Nurses are no longer seen as handmaidens; they are professionals in their own right. For many years, when a doctor entered the room, nurses would stand at the desk and not sit down. Now they’re valued as part of the team with a different skill set.”
Sally’s time nursing in the Berwick community hasn’t always been smooth. Like life, it has been full of challenges, particularly staying up-to-date with ever-evolving processes and equipment.
“Emotionally, I feel that I’m stronger and in a way more tolerant and more adaptable,” she said.
“My mother instilled in me a strong way of coping, and I’ve always relied on the support of my family and my colleagues. Having a supportive team and a positive ethos within the hospital is crucial to navigating all kinds of situations.”
If she could offer advice to others, it would simply be: “Just persevere. It will be okay.”
“Don’t be deterred if one day is a bad day — tomorrow is a whole fresh day. Just because one person upsets you, there are plenty of others whose lives you make a difference to. Always stay positive about what you can and can’t do.”
Sally hopes to be remembered by her colleagues, patients, and community for her ability to get things done and solve problems, often tackling what others might consider impossible.
Being a community owned hospital, there was a feeling of a supportive family.
“Fellow workers became my network of advice and camaraderie as I was the new girl on staff and later a new mum,” she said.
“I wish to thank everyone I have worked with over the years in all the very many departments of the hospital for being wonderful friends and coworkers. I also wish to thank my husband Norm for being my home support.”
Sally hopes for a future where skilled nurses continue to thrive, ensuring quality care for future generations. She envisions the hospital maintaining its strength and evolution to provide the best care at all times.
