International Nurses Day, a time to celebrate at Mercy Place Woree

With a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who were all nurses, it is little wonder that Michelle Kyles decided it was also the profession for her.

Ms Kyles is an Enrolled Nurse at Mercy Place Woree, an organisation where she has worked for more than 35 years, after initially undertaking work experience at the not-for-profit aged care residence as a 16-year-old. From there, she worked as an Assistant in Nursing for 20 years, until she began her diploma in nursing at North Queensland TAFE when she stayed till her late 30s.

“I loved my role as an Assistant in Nursing, but wanted to do more and also have more responsibility,” says Ms Kyles, who has lived in Cairns for more than 40 years. “I also thought I could contribute more to the residents’ care and that was really my driver for studying.

“Nursing just makes you feel good, it’s a wonderful thing to help someone and also make them smile, it really is a gift and I adore what I do, just as much as I adore the residents and want the best for them.”

International Nurses’ Day is an annual celebration of nursing held across the globe on 12 May to pay tribute to the nursing profession and the important contribution of nurses worldwide. Held on Florence Nightingale’s birthday, it will be celebrated at Mercy Place Woree with a morning tea for all the nursing staff.

Mercy Place Woree Service Manager, Charlene Reyes, says International Nurses’ Day provides an important opportunity to celebrate nursing as a profession, and that residents were particularly keen to acknowledge the care they receive from nursing staff on the day itself.

“Mercy Place Woree is very fortunate to have a wonderful team of dedicated and professional nurses like Michelle, and we think Florence Nightingale’s birthday is the perfect time to acknowledge them for their dedication and levels of care, which are second to none,” she says.

Mercy Health is a Catholic community not for profit provider of care, founded by the Sisters of Mercy and grounded in a 2000 year history of caring for those in need.  The organisation is a national service provider of health and aged care throughout Victoria, Southern New South Wales, Western Australia, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory.

In Queensland, the organisation cares for 160 people at two residential homes, while managing an additional 139 independent living units and apartments.