GLYNNIS TAKES CARE TO WHOLE NEW LEVEL
FOR Glynnis Carvalho, being a nurse in John Flynn Hospital’s oncology ward is as rewarding as it is challenging.
“It’s hard for us, but worse for them,” she says of her patients.
“There are moments where we get angry and don’t feel like it’s fair.”
It is that attitude and handling of delicate situations that has put her among the 12 finalists in the 2018 Nursing and Midwifery Awards.
“Some people who are going through (cancer) are just so young and some have families. So we always ask, ‘why is this happening to them?’,” Ms Carvalho said.
“That’s the only negative part of my job. You definitely don’t want to lose them, so that’s when we push harder, because we want to make them and their family feel supported in the difficult times.”
Witnessing the wave of emotions from patients struggling to come to terms with their diagnosis, to learning they are cancer-free, Ms Carvalho said she constantly treads a fine line between hardening her heart, and being compassionate.
“Being there itself is challenging, you experience from the start of treatment to the end, where patients could be finishing up and cured, which is a happy moment for all of us. Then there are those unfortunate and heartbreaking moments, where people reach the end of life ... but knowing you’ve helped them, that they were pain-free, it’s an honour.”
The road to her career in nursing started young, following in the footsteps of her family members.
“It’s amazing, my mum, nan and aunty were nurses. I’d be talking to them and heard stories about their patients and they were just so passionate about it.