4 June, 2015 The DON a decade on The St George Hospital is a welcoming hive of activity. The 28-bed facility offers medical and emergency services, including surgical services, there is a birthing facility, visiting specialists and outreach clinics along with telehealth facilities which are in constant use. Along with a great team of administration, operational, clinical and community and allied health staff, the woman helping to guide the facility is the St George Hospital Director of Nursing (DON) Patrice Robinson. She is celebrating ten years at the hospital. “I came for six months,” Ms Robinson laughed. “I love St George. Personally and professionally it has been very good to me.” A hospital DON is in charge of the staff and oversees that the patients receive the health care they expect from the facility. From developing and implementing policy and procedure to creating the culture of the hospital team. “The role of a DON in these small facilities is to manage everything and know everything,” Ms Robinson smiled. “One moment you can be advising on patient care, the next you can be consulted on things like broken pipes to painting to what we will do about the mowing.” As a people orientated problem solver, it is a multitasking role that suits Ms Robinson abilities perfectly. She grew up in Longreach the daughter of a country nurse and was guided into the profession along with her sister. After a long and fulfilling career spanning from Cairns to Perth and the Sunshine Coast in nursing, midwifery and then child health Ms Robinson was given the opportunity to return to the west. Her initial term as a Clinical Nurse Consultant in St George extended into relieving as the DON before replacing the long serving Miriam Heath on her retirement. “St George has a long history of stability. In fact Dr Cameron Bardsley is only the fifth Medical Superintendent the hospital has had since 1920,” she said. “We have continuity of care because we have a very good team with everyone totally invested in the hospital and the services we provide. “I think a lot of that has to do with the town and the region. “Everyone says that when you drive into St George there is an instant feeling of welcome, that it’s a special place.” When Ms Robinson first came to St George she joined the local Rotary Club as a way to become involved in the community. Last year she was awarded the prestigious Paul Harris Fellow for her commitment to the humanitarian organisation. “Rotary has opened up a whole new world for me and now my network of friends spans right across Australia and overseas,” she said. It is the combination of an exciting and challenging career in a close knit community that has Ms Robinson thinking she is content to spend another decade at the St George Hospital. “Who knows what the next year of your life is going to bring, but I am happy doing what I am doing. “Every day we are striving to do ordinary things extraordinarily well.” ENDS Photo Caption; St George DON - St George Hospital DON Patrice Robinson said every day they are striving to do ordinary things extraordinarily well. For further information contact: Sally Rigney Acting Public Affairs Officer, South West Hospital and Health Service Phone: 0417 758 353 [email protected]