RETIRED and semi-retired nurses are returning to Swan Hill District Health (SHDH) in the town’s fight against COVID-19, one jab at a time.
SHDH nurses Laurel Dewhurst, Suzan Ash and Rhonda Maloney began their nursing careers in the 1970s.
Ms Dewhurst had been retired since 2019, planning the things she has been unable to do because of the pandemic – travelling and playing golf.
But she sees helping the fight against COVID-19 as a “great purpose”.
“It’s something I can do and it’s a really good team,” she said.
Ms Bye and Ms Ash were semi-retired when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Ms Bye had progressed from full-time to part-time work and took 10 months off before rejoining SHDH.
“It has been rewarding to see the community stepping up and getting vaccinated, because we all know that’s the answer,” she said.
“The program has been so successful because of a fantastic leader (Cathy Darby).”
Ms Darby, the SHDH COVID-19 vaccination co-ordinator, is assisted by infection control nurse Judy Devereux.
Ms Darby, a nurse for 52 years, said the fight against COVID-19 was a team effort.
She said the majority of the community had been grateful for the opportunity to get vaccinated in Swan Hill.
“We’re doing well in the community,” Ms Darby said.
“Because we have state (in Kerang) and Commonwealth vaccines (in Swan Hill) we are able to give more vaccines than other vaccination centres.”
Ms Darby said 15 nurses were running the vaccination clinic with assistance from two pharmacist vaccinators, while other SHDH staff worked extra shifts to assist.
Staff also recently assisted the COVID-19 response in Echuca when an aged-care worker returned a positive result on August 26.
Ms Darby said if it wasn’t for the COVID-19 pandemic she would also have been retired. Ms Maloney had been retired since 2012.
Through the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, nurses whose registration has expired can re-register every 12 months but can only work for the health service on COVID-19, including vaccinations.
