General News
8 June, 2022
TMHS welcomes expanded nursing staff
TERANG and Mortlake Health Service (TMHS) welcomed a cohort of new nurses recently, whose backgrounds span the globe but passion for nursing has led them to Terang.
TERANG and Mortlake Health Service (TMHS) welcomed a cohort of new nurses recently, whose backgrounds span the globe but passion for nursing has led them to Terang.
Debbie Pickering, Meena Nepuane, Yoko Roache, Maraena Parattu and Ruby Hill all joined TMHS in the last few months, helping to buck the trend of shortages experienced in all sectors since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
TMHS director of nursing Melissa Mitchell said the health service had been “very fortunate” to be able to recruit the new nursing staff to the hospital and Mt View Aged Care Facility.
“Our new staff has come to us seeking new opportunities; in some cases, it’s been very much a word-of-mouth thing where people have shared what a great place the hospital is to work at and this has drawn others to us,” she said.
“The nurses who have joined us are really enjoying the exposure to a range of experiences, which is the beauty of small health services."
“It’s exciting to have these people join us with their wide range of experiences and knowledge because we have so much to learn from one another."
“In addition to nursing staff we have also welcomed a number of new catering and environmental staff, so we are definitely in a very positive space at TMHS.”
The wide range of experiences and knowledge represents not only the diversity within the health service, but the breadth of search required to attract new staff to regional Victoria.
Ms Roache said she had been gaining experience between the acute ward and the emergency department since beginning with TMHS recently.
She had originally moved to Australia two decades ago and had been living in Warrnambool for the past 15 years.
After making the decision to pursue nursing, she enrolled at Deakin University’s Warrnambool campus and graduated in 2021.
Ms Roache said working at TMHS had been “really lovely”.
“I’m really enjoying working at TMHS,”she said.
Ms Neupane was born and raised in Nepal.
She made the move to Australia by way of Sydney, but in April moved to Camperdown in search of opportunity.
Ms Pickering made the move to the region from Melbourne, and two of the nurses had been added directly from south west Victoria.
Maraena Parattu, who was born in India before making Australia home, was finding her feet after beginning her career with TMHS last week.
“I’ve lived in Terang for two and a half years now, and previously worked in aged care,” she said.
Ms Hill, a graduate nurse, was raised in the Hamilton area and moved to Geelong to complete her studies.
She said she had returned to the south west to be closer to home following the onset of the pandemic, and was finding her feet after joining TMHS last month.
“I love it here,” she said.
“It’s nice because everyone is like family down here.”
