“This is an amazingly supportive ward. We have a cohesive mix of AINs, ENs, and RNs and we all work really well together.”
QEII Hospital Enrolled Nurse (EN) Angela Watego thrives on a healthy diet of interprofessional teamwork at Ward 4B.
People skills come naturally to Angela after 20 years in administration, but it was a twist of fate that inspired the move to nursing.
“When my child got sick some years ago, I was watching the nurses care for him and was in awe of what they did. I could see how empowering nursing could be, and I wanted to give back, because I knew what it was like to be on the other side,” she said.
“I decided that was going to be my life’s purpose, and it became my silver lining too.”
Balancing part-time study, work and family life, Ange worked her way to a Diploma of Nursing, turning her dream into reality and proving it’s never too late to make a change.
Six years on, Ange has built up a wealth of experience between aged care and ward nursing, and says she hasn’t looked back since joining QEII in 2021.
“I love ward nursing, and I love this ward. Stroke nursing is really interesting,” she said.
“I also enjoy learning from the RNs and being mentored by them. They're all so knowledgeable, but also very open to helping others learn, which makes it a really nice space to work in. Our NUM is also very supportive of us, which makes a huge difference.”
Combining her expert people skills and pay-it-forward mindset, it’s Angela’s passion for holistic, patient-centred care that keeps her at the top of her game and inspires her peers.
“For me it’s about engaging with the holistic team, from the treating teams to the allied health team. But it’s also about engaging the patient, to help them with their health and meet them where they're at. Whether they’re coming to terms with a new baseline level of mobility or adjusting to a new normal, I really like to get into their world and find out how I can help them make the best of it,” she explained.
“Contributing to helping a patient go from illness to wellness makes my day. We’ve seen some amazing cases where patients went from being paralysed down one side, to recovering and walking out of here. Seeing that transformation and knowing I got to contribute to that person’s recovery is a nice reminder of what we’re all here for.”
Angela’s exemplary interprofessional skills and compassionate approach to care have earned her QEII’s 2024 International Nurses Day (IND) Engagement Award.