The Disney themed Christmas decorations at Hannah’s workplace
Presents, holidays and spending time with family; these are just some of the things we think of when it comes to celebrating Christmas. However, whilst a large portion of the country is putting their feet up and relaxing, nurses across Australia will be on the front-line ensuring patients receive vital health care services.
To shine a light on those nurses who will be sacrificing time with their own family to improve the lives of others, we spoke to Hannah Skelton MACN, a registered nurse who works at a neonatal intensive care unit in Sydney. She gave us a special insight into what it is like to work over Christmas and how her workplace has embraced the Christmas spirit!
Hannah has previously worked Christmas shifts during her nursing career.
I find it {working Christmas Day} can be really interesting,” she said.
“You end up using your work colleagues as your family. Our ward organises Christmas lunches and every shift will have their only little Christmas party as a way of celebrating together. We can’t spend any time with our own families over Christmas and instead we are helping these families because we are trying to make it a special day for them.”
This year, Hannah and her fellow nurses have gone above-and-beyond to create a vibrant atmosphere for staff and patients alike during the Christmas period. Since December 1, their ward has been covered in Disney themed decorations as part of their workplace Christmas decoration competition (in which they came a very commendable second only to be beaten by another ward’s Harry Potter theme!).
She shared a particularly heart-warming story about the effort her fellow nurses go to make sure their patients feel at home during their stay over Christmas.
“I have some amazing colleagues that dedicate their own time and money during the year to put together Christmas stockings for the babies, which might be their first ever Christmas gift as they spend their first Christmas with us. Sometimes these gifts include things like a plush toy they can grow older with it also something small for their parents,” she said.
In 2019 Hannah will again be sacrificing time with her own family to work on Christmas Day.
“It is always hard when you are not celebrating it with your own family,” she said.
“My family go on holidays ten hours away and I haven’t spent many Christmases with them recently because of working as a nurse. However, I am lucky that I am working a 12-hour shift so I will still be able to have dinner with my in-laws, meaning it will feel more than just another day at work.’’
Despite the hardship of being away from loved ones, Hannah is looking forward to spending the day with her amazing work colleagues doing a job she loves.
“I know I’m going to be working with a lovely group of people who are going to make the day as joyful as possible and we are going to have a great time celebrating with each other.”
Thank you, Hannah, for sharing your experience of what it is like to work as a nurse over Christmas. We wish all ACN Distinguished Life Fellows, Fellows and Members a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and a special shout-out to all those working over the holiday period! We can’t wait to celebrate 2020 Year of the Nurse & Midwife with you all.
