4 July 2022
A Women’s and Children’s Hospital nurse “burst out” of her chair in excitement while another sensed a definite “lift in spirits” during a recent visit by ANMF (SA Branch) CEO/Secretary Adj Associate Professor Elizabeth Dabars AM.
Ms Dabars is currently touring hospitals across South Australia and said it had been a valuable experience so far.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for me to talk to nurses and midwives about how the ANMF (SA Branch) is working for them and more importantly to thank them for their tireless efforts,” Ms Dabars said.
“What becomes clear during these visits is that nurses and midwives love what they do but they are also working in challenging conditions that can make their job a real struggle.
“Our fight to improve those working conditions is ongoing and I think it is vital to share our advocacy with our members face-to-face.”
Rose Ward Registered Nurse Claire Rander said she enjoyed her time with Ms Dabars.
“I burst out of my chair when I saw her because it was very exciting to see her on the ward,” Claire said.
“I see her in the media all the time and on social media and she is someone that inspires me. She fights for us which is really nice because sometimes we feel like we do not really have a voice.
“She came around and told us about the (Public Sector 2022) Enterprise Agreement and how that is going at the moment and was asking us about how our day was.
“She was really appreciative of the hard work we have been doing with COVID and the flu and everything that is going on at the moment.”
Claire said the decision to hold ANMF (SA Branch) conferences online during the pandemic also came up in conversation.
“We haven't really had time for our own interest in education, so a lot of the conferences, a lot of the presentations, are very interesting,” she said.
“We have been so focused on what is going on (at work) that you can forget to look at the broader picture.”
WCH Renal Nurse Consultant Kathryn Boundy said Ms Dabars is “easy to talk with and very understanding of the issues facing nurses at the moment”.
“We really appreciate the work she is doing for us and I feel like she is advocating well for the nurses and midwives of South Australia,” Kathryn said.
“It feels like we have someone on our side, helping us along, and speaking for us.
“It makes you feel like the work you do is valued, you are part of a bigger picture, that there is a lot of people that might be struggling and in the same boat.”
Kathryn said she was pleased the ANMF (SA Branch) was fighting for free or subsidised car parking and retention and recruitment payments for nurses.
“Recruiting and retaining staff at the moment can be difficult so any recognition of the work the nurses and midwives have done over the last couple of years makes us feel like we are valued and it is a sign (the Government) is actually appreciating the work we are doing.”
For updates on the Public Sector 2022 Enterprise Agreement you can click
here.
Caption: ANMF (SA Branch) CEO/Secretary Adj Associate Professor Elizabeth Dabars AM (left) with WCH members Vivian Shae (centre) and Claire Rander.