SIBLINGS SAVE LIVES TOGETHER IN HOSPITAL
PATIENTS would usually cringe at the thought of a hospital bill, but for those at the Gold Coast University Hospital, hearing the word Bills can be a great reassurance.
Siblings Lucy, Sean, Sally and Gemma Bills walk the halls of the Emergency Department (ED) taking care the region’s most vulnerable people. Their other sister Lisa, a fifth Bills, works in Cardiology.
Sean’s wife also works in the ED as an emergency registrar.
Sally and Gemma are registered nurses, Lucy is an ED nurse educator and Sean is an emergency specialist doctor.
The jovial bunch are full of life, bouncing off each other the only way brothers and sisters can and when it counts, there for each other in what can be a daunting working environment.
“We definitely all debrief together and the dinner conversations are definitely interesting,” Gemma said.
“It’s good to debrief with the family about everything that happens in here. It’s good to get good feedback from Sean and Lucy.
Sally chimed in: “I think we all have respect for each other. If I’m working with Sean, I’ll do what he says, he’s a boss. Lucy is the educator, so I think we all have that mutual respect for each other.’’
The family foray into health began with their mother, a registered nurse.
“Mum’s a nurse and she worked forever. She worked at the Robina hospital many years ago. Dad was more IT, he wrote software programs, so Dad was pretty much the only one not in health,” Sean said.
“He thinks he’s got a degree by osmosis,” Lucy said.
Sean said the family vibe was strengthened in the ED, along with a great culture in the hospital.
“There’s an excellent culture down here. I’ve worked in about six or eight other emergency departments, we’re so fortunate on the Gold Coast.
“It’s an amazing hospital. We are so fortunate to get this amazing facility.”
Sally has lived away for a while, only joining the family at the hospital in recent months.
“All four of us live within 5km of each other. Gemma and I actually live on the same street, six houses apart,” she said.
“It’s a bit weird. I’ve just moved back and there’s a lot of family barbecues, every weekend almost, everyone catches up. I’ve been away for about eight years all up. The family time is really intense, but it’s good.”