Nursing: more than a job

Nursing within aged care is not just a job for Amy Jumalon, it’s a calling.

Amy, 28, works as a Registered Nurse (RN) at VMCH’s Corpus Christi aged care residence. Growing up in the Philippines, where a high value is placed on caring for older people, Amy watched her mother, also a nurse, care for her great-grandmother.

“She did this with such compassion, respect and love and so I wanted to be like her and become a nurse one day.”

When the time came for Amy to leave the Philippines, she chose Australia as her new home because of our large, ageing population and need for aged care nurses. Choosing an organisation to join was a little harder, until Amy found VMCH.

“I really related to VMCH’s Vision and Mission to build compassionate communities, and professionally, the opportunities VMCH has provided me have been enormous.”

In just a few short years, Amy has been able to build on her tertiary education with on-the-ground training as a Personal Care Assistant (PCA) with VMCH, and is now RN in Charge, supporting a team of nurses, and Acting Care Manager on weekends.

“We have a lot of training and online learning opportunities, and the support I get from my managers is great. Every day I feel like I am learning.”

While many of Amy’s nursing friends chose specialised fields within hospitals, Amy believes working within aged care is more rewarding.

“In hospitals there’s no real long-term relationships. Here, you get more time to form connections and make a real difference to people’s lives. Older people have a history and interesting stories to tell. For me, nursing within aged care is about the love I have for older people and the fulfilment I have at the end of the day.”