Barwon Health nurse clocks off after 48 years

LONG-serving Barwon Health nurse Annie Sproules signed off from her last shift at Geelong hospital last month, 48 years after starting her her traineeship there in June, 1974.

Now adjusting to retirement, Ms Sproules said it will be her colleagues that she misses most, some of who she’s worked with for decades.

“There is a group of us, 10, we call ourselves the nightingales. We’ve been friends for 30 years, all girls who were on night duty.”

For 32 years, Ms Sproules worked the night shift around various sections of the hospital, mainly as a medical nurse, but also in surgical and respiratory.

“It was like a big family.

“In 2011, I decided to make the big move to day nursing: best thing I did, wish I had done it earlier.

“No wonder I had to wear glasses early,” she quipped.

As a marker of time, Ms Sproules noted she pre-dated all the Geelong hospital buildings except one.

“The only building that has been there longer is Kardinia House.

“I saw all those buildings going up…I’ve worked in them all.” Although it will be her work mates that she most misses, it’s the familiar flow to her days and weeks that will also be notably absent.

“I’d been wanting to leave for a fair while, but when I actually retired it was the weirdest feeling. I’ve had 48 years of a routine structure with work, and now that is gone it’s going to take a while to adjust.”

Giving care and comfort to sick people is a prominent trait in Ms Sproules’ family, including her grandmother who having recently arrived in Victoria from Queensland, became the first Otways bush nurse, based in Lavers Hill.

“Soon after she arrived there was an influenza epidemic,” Ms Sproules said.

Her mode of transport to service the region, including saw millers who frequently incurred severe injuries, was by horse.

“My grandfather was a dairy farmer down in Johanna. That’s how she travelled everywhere… marvellous lady, very strong willed.

“My mum was a nurse also, my sister a mid-wife in Ballarat… eight of my nieces and nephews and nurses are either paramedics or nurses.”

Reflecting on her experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms Sproules said she feels like she avoided the worst of it in her section of the hospital, the Rapid Assessment and Planning Unit.

“It was terrible down in ED, but it was okay where I was.

“But we took full precautions, it was quite trying at times in full PPE…it put a lot of strain on staff.

“I think the hospital coped with it really well, and society.”

Ms Sproules’s wish is that she’s remembered by her colleagues as good nurse.

“I’d like to think they thought of me as reliable, professional and fun to work with.

“I do know that I had a lot of patients enjoyed having me, that’s what was most important to me, caring about people.”