Nurses are highly skilled and expert professionals who make a difference each and every day within their communities.
The Australian College of Nursing’s (ACN) Men in Nursing Impact Series focuses specifically on the efforts of men in nursing in an attempt to increase the numbers of men entering and remaining in the profession. The series is part of our broader Men in Nursing initiative which has produced an eBook, video series and Guiding Principles document aimed at addressing the shortages of men in the nursing profession.
The first article in the series sheds light on the different settings in which nurses make an impact by telling the personal stories of three men who use their skills to care for others in different ways.
Kazuma Honda MACN: Community Nursing
Kazuma (Kaz) Honda MACN provides care to the most vulnerable in his community where they need it most; in the comfort and familiarity of their own home.
Kazuma has shared with us what it is like to work in this nursing area and how it makes a difference to patients.
“On average, I visit four patients a day, and some days I end up driving over 50-100km by the time I return to our hub, as our service covers a very large area,” he says.
“Nursing in community is highly technical and offers a wide scope of practice from managing complex wounds, IV medication and being the primary advocate of a person’s journey to heal whilst still requiring medical attention.”
“I love my work because I can take time with each patient to provide person-centred care.”
Luke Yokota MACN: Intensive Care Nursing
Luke Yokota MACN works as an intensive care unit nurse at a Brisbane hospital and highlights the variety of the field as one of the key reasons he loves his job!
“You get to look after people suffering people from a wide range of conditions and diseases,” he says.
“One day, you might be looking after a patient with a cardiac condition and the next someone with end-stage renal disease the next.”
“Every day is different and no two days are the same!”
Arun Thomas MACN: Aged Care Nursing
Arun Thomas MACN uses his expertise as a nurse to make improving the quality of life of our vulnerable elderly Australians.
Aged care nurses are required to have a broad range of knowledge such as mental health nursing, orthopedics, urology, emergency medicine, cardiac care as well as allied health areas like speech pathology and nutrition,” he says.
“I am responsible and accountable for the care and safety of 20 residents along with supervising and assisting four staff members during the shift.”
“Working in aged care gives me purpose, strength and helped me to build personal resilience.”
The perspectives and stories of Luke, Kazuma and Arun are just some examples of the diverse contribution nurses make to their communities in a wide range of settings. Learn more about the Men in Nursing Campaign by visiting acn.edu.au/men-in-nursing and be sure to keep an eye out in the upcoming weeks for more articles in the Men in Nursing impact series.
