Public Health Nurses involved in community care

Waimarino Bulletin, Issue 6, 26 August 1988, Page 2 (Supplement)

Public Health Nurses involved in community care

It's all in a day's work for Waiouru's Public Health Nurses Anne Whyte and Judith Brake. The two women who initially trained together at Auckland Technical Institute in 1980 found themselves together again this year in Waiouru and set about combining their talents to job-share the role of Waiouru Public Nurse. A normal day for the two ladies begins at 8am with what might include any of the following duties: -Set priorities for the day in order o f importance.

-clear answering machine. -visits within community, including to the elderly. -visits to workplaces promoting occupational health and teaching safety in the work environment. -routine school and pre-school visits for talks and videos on health and hygiene. -home visits t o residents either referred to the nurses through agencies or through self-referral. The job-sharing nurses are b o t h employed by the Wanganui Area Health Board through the

Principal Health Nurse. They are accountable for their actions and must submit regular diaries of work within the community. For Judith, j o b satisfaction comes through working with underprivileged adults. Judith says she enjoys being able to offer support and assist with pointing them in the right direction - as she describes it - "being a professional friend." Both women enjoy the aspect of health promotion and education through specialist courses run in the community.