Celebrating International Nurses Day 2023.

On International Nurses Day, Sydney Local Health District would like to recognise and celebrate all our nurses, who care for our patients, their families and the community.

This year, a group of nurses from across our hospitals, services and facilities shared their stories with us – reflecting on why they joined the profession, what they like best about their roles and highlighting special memories about providing patient care.

Clinical Nurse Consultant Raksha Bhati, who works at the Concord Centre for Mental Health, and Cameron Gullick, who is based at the Peter Beaumont Unit in the Professor Marie Bashir Centre, shared insights about their roles in the District’s Mental Health Service.

“When people are often in a really frightening and uncomfortable position, like an inpatient psychiatric care unit, helping them feel safe and comfortable and getting a bit of laughter from someone or putting smile on their face just really makes a huge difference – not just for them but for myself,” Cameron said.

While his colleague Raksha added, “Working in a very supportive team, a very strong team, where we work together and empower each other, and achieving the best possible outcomes for our patients – it makes me feel really good.”

At Sydney Dental Hospital, with more than 30 years’ experience each Gary Pratt and Lissy Joseph explained how patient-centred care in the District empowered them.

“It’s at the end of the day knowing you’ve done the best for that patient, on a day-to-day basis, and making sure the patient’s family and carers are all provided for. It’s patient care that provides job satisfaction. Knowing that I’ve worked with my nursing colleagues and team to do that,” Gary, an Oral Surgery and Oral Medicine Nurse Unit Manager, said.

Paediatric Dentistry Nurse Lissy commented, "I love my nursing profession, all of it. Once they come here, we have that connection, then taking care of them in recovery and going through things with them is very rewarding,”

Sexual Health Services Registered Nurse Brett Sinclair had advice for future nurses.

“Don’t be afraid to ask questions, there’s never a dumb question. Always stay calm and composed under pressure. Be brave. We can’t always save everyone, but we can always be kind, caring, and provide the best clinical support to patients and their significant others and families,” he said.

International Nurses Day is an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the unique role nurses play in healthcare.

This year’s theme is Our Nurses. Our Future.

The International Council of Nurses states that “together our future depends on every nurse, every voice, to not only be on the front lines of care, but also be on the front lines of change.”

Around the District, our nurses were provided with recognition awards, celebratory competitions and generous gifts from the Executive team and wider community.