Nurse in the spotlight: Tim Wright

Exceptional emergency care

We continue to acknowledge our nurses for the World Health Organisation's 2020 international year of the nurse and midwife, profiling the very talented and experienced Associate Nurse Unit Manager of our Emergency Department, Tim Wright.

Nurse in the spotlight: Tim Wright

A nurse of 43 years with 34 of those years at Mulgrave Private Hospital, Tim is a part of the furniture and particularly an integral part of tight-knit fabric that is our Emergency Department.

In describing what being a nurse means to him, Tim conveys that being a nurse has allowed him the privilege of sharing other people's life's journey alongside of the patients he cares for. Each patient has their own unique story to tell, intertwined within their ever changing world of health and well being. It is a two way relationship of trust and respect that you strive to build with each patient.

And does he find it rewarding? Absolutely! As he explains firsthand;

It is deeply rewarding to be able to spontaneously assist a patient in regaining their health from an unforeseen crisis. It is very humbling to receive that heartfelt thanks knowing that you have made a significant difference in that person's life at a time when they have felt scared, out of control and most vulnerable; possibly on the brink of death.

• What inspired you to be a nurse?
  Nursing runs within our family. My sister trained at Prince Henry's Hospital, 3 years ahead of my training at The Austin Hospital. She inspired me to become a nurse. I always had a fascination to learn about the human body and I felt a desire to assist people in their time of need. I enjoy promoting good heath and all of the lifestyle benefits which go with it. The psychology of human nature inspires me, as does the spirit of human life and survival.

• What do you enjoy most about your job? Expecting the unexpected within a busy Emergency Department at less than a moment's notice! An ability to prioritise emergency care, thinking outside of the square and ensuring positive outcomes for the staff I manage and the patients we care for. I love the twists and turns of my job which are many and varied, with no two days ever being the same. I am professionally motivated in dealing with acute medical conditions and trauma across an entire spectrum of age. It is great working within a dynamic environment with such a cohesive and enterprising team. Positive teamwork is hallmark which underpins the quality of emergency care we collectively deliver. I also enjoyed creating a very close-knit work family, elements of which are still present today.

• Tell us about your nursing journey and experiences: Aside from my General Nurse training, I was fortunate enough to attain the opportunity of studying and qualifying as a Midwife at Forth Valley College of Nursing and Midwifery, Scotland, having delivered around 150 babies. My cultural experience and five years spent in Scotland was second to none. A country with a very proud and rich heritage.
  I also completed Post-Graduate critical care training at Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Scotland. Once back in Australia I went on to achieve a Bachelor of Applied Science (Nursing) degree at Monash University. Later I expanded my ability to teach, by completing a Certificate IV in Workplace Training & Assessment.I put this to good use in teaching first aid and CPR to the community, also having lectured Post Graduate Emergency Nursing students at RMIT University, Bundoora.

• What are your proudest nursing achievements? I feel honoured in having served our local community in my former professional role as Nursing Unit Manager of the Emergency Department for 25 years. Being able to observe and facilitate the professional development of staff within the emergency care environment has also been very satisfying. I recollect an extensive emergency resuscitation of a staff member's husband who had spontaneously cardiac arrested. Throughout the resuscitation he arrested no less than five times. Remarkably, after a prolonged period of time in Intensive Care, he made a full and complete recovery. Fifteen years on, he and his wife contacted me, expressing their heartfelt gratitude for having saved his life. They were blessed with another fifteen happy years of retirement together. Positive achievements such as these make me feel proud to be a long standing Emergency RN.

Mulgrave Private Hospital is privileged to have Tim's experience and expertise, with his excellent ability to respond quickly and dynamically to situations as they unfold in the Emergency Department, helping deliver positive patient outcomes consistently for many years in both his former role as Nurse Unit Manager and in his current Associate Nurse Unit Manager role.

Having been a part of the Mulgrave Private community for 34 years, Tim is truly an asset to the hospital community.