Midwife Nicole finds her home in Bendigo

10 Oct 2022

What’s your position?

I’m the Nurse Unit Manager on the maternity ward at St John of God Bendigo Hospital.

How long have you worked at St John of God Bendigo Hospital?

I have worked at St John of God Bendigo Hospital for five years.

Why were you interested in working with us?

I really like working within a team environment that we have here. Everyone is really supportive, and we have a common goal to provide best clinical care, with really professional service as well.

Ever since I started working here, it’s what has kept me here. There is really good work satisfaction. Everybody works really well together.

What do you enjoy most about working with us?

So I started working here five years ago as a Registered Midwife and Nurse and I’ve really enjoyed my job. 

I really enjoy the environment, it’s a safe, inclusive, and learning environment.

What opportunities have you received while working with us?

During my time here I’ve been promoted to the Nurse Unit Manager role which is very exciting for me. I’m just so proud and happy of the work that we do here that it was such a privilege to take on that role. 

So there are lots of opportunities here to grow your career. Now St John of God Health Care is involved in providing midwifery scholarships to help the workforce. 

We’ve had midwives come through that have been sponsored to upskilled to be a Lactation Consultant, or nurses being sponsored to do their Graduate Diploma in Midwifery. So there are lots of opportunities to learn.

What do you love about living in Bendigo?

I only moved to Bendigo when I first started working here at St John of God Bendigo Hospital, and I really love it. 

My son and I really enjoy the community feeling, there is always lots going on. There is always social event in the park or in town, almost on a weekly basis. There are heaps of things for kids to do, and it’s still close enough to Melbourne to access things easily.

It has a beautiful small town vibe, people are friendly, and I feel really safe. It’s somewhere I’m really happy to settle in.

What do you want other people to know about working with St John of God Health Care?

St John of God Health Care provides a safe and welcoming environment to work in. We are always striving to provide clinical excellence, and personalised patient-centred care, which is really satisfying as a midwife and a manager. The opportunities are there to grow and learn and get job satisfaction, as well as provide excellent care.

Do you and your team socialise outside of work?

We always try to do a couple of things throughout the year. We love to go out for dinner, or gather if there is a special concert on or something on in Bendigo. We try to get a group together and see if anyone is interested and enjoying each other without it being about work. 

We also have girls in different sporting teams (netball and tennis), and it’s really nice to just help build the team by getting to know each other outside of work. 

What does St John of God Health Care do to make you feel cared about in the workplace?

We feel cared about here at work for a number of reasons. They listen when I have concerns; I am always heard. I have regular meetings with my manager to make sure everything is on track. I just feel like I’m well supported, which means a lot in the workplace.