Community & Business
1 June, 2023
Nursing passion pays off
A LOCAL nurse with a passion for helping others and her com-munity has been recognised for her efforts and been named the 2023 Mareeba Hospital Nurse of the Year.
Megan Wieland has spent 30 years as a nurse and always felt it was the right career for her as she “liked to help people.”
She begun working as a nurse at the Chillagoe Primary Health Centre 13 years ago after applying for the position of director of nursing, her commitment and passion for helping the small community resulted in her receiving the nurse of the year award during National Nurses Week recently.
The award covers health ser-vices and hospitals in Mareeba, Lotus Glen, Dimbulah and Chillagoe which all come under the Mareeba Hospital Banner.
Ms Wieland trained as an enrolled nurse in Mount Isa and did her nursing degree about seven years later. Being a Herberton local, she then decided to return to the region and work in Chillagoe.
“I have a passion for rural and remote nursing so I knew I always wanted to come back to a rural area,” she said.
“My time at Chillagoe has been super rewarding, it can be very challenging at times because in Chillagoe we work alone and we operate a hospital based ambulance as well.
Ms Wieland said some of the most difficult things about working in Chillagoe was the isolation however becoming such an integral part of the community was gratifying.
“The geographical and professional isolation is difficult, dealing with emergencies and only having myself to rely on,” she said.
“Waiting on help is another one, most patients that are re-ally unwell we fly out so we are waiting on the RFDS who we work closely with. “The community are so grateful to have the service and have us working there, they are so supportive.
“You’re not just a nurse out there you become the centre for everyone’s help.”
Ms Wieland said she was honoured to be named the Ma-reeba Nurse of the Year knowing there would have been some stiff competition.
“To be awarded nurse of the year when you work alone feels amazing,” she said.
“I was shocked and moved to tears.”
Ms Wieland is currently working on expanding her skill-set and is looking to study a Master of Nursing which will enable her to become a nurse practitioner, further assisting her community
