Half a century of nursing – and still loving it

It’s International Year of the Nurse – what better time to celebrate our amazing nurses, like Vicki Partridge at The Poynton, who celebrates 50 years of nursing.

There can be few people who love their jobs as much as Vicki Partridge, Care Services Manager at Metlifecare’s The Poynton.

From the sign in her office (which reads ‘It’s a beautiful thing when a career and a passion come together’), through to the enthusiasm she exudes  when discussing her work, it’s crystal clear the vibrant 70-year-old is doing what she was born to do.

I’ve got the perfect job! Being a nurse is a real privilege, and I absolutely love coming to work,” says Vicki, who this year celebrates  50 years of nursing.

Originally from Cresswell, Northumberland, Vicki completed her general  nursing training in Jersey in the Channel Islands and spent 12 years in forensic psychiatric nursing working with chronic and acutely unwell patients. She moved to New Zealand with her two sons in 1986, landing a job as a nursing educator at Manawatu Polytechnic, and later moving north to become the District Manager for Mental Health Services for Central Auckland.

It wasn’t until I moved to Australia in 1996 that I started working in aged care. I spent my first three years as Regional Operations Manager for Premier Care in New South Wales and I’ve been nursing in aged care ever since.”

Why? “Because it’s the best area in the world to work. When you work in aged care you have real relationships. The people we look after have so much knowledge to share, and so much to offer – I never tire of listening to their stories. Aged care is such a fulfilling sector, you meet the most wonderful people, and there are so many opportunities to learn and grow.”

Vicki joined Metlifecare’s The Poynton just under two years ago and she couldn’t be happier.

The Poynton is a really special place – it’s one of the best places  to live and work! We have an amazing building, a great team of staff and residents, and an incredible restaurant and cafe. It’s a fantastic mix that makes every single day a joy.”

And while Vicki admits that 2020 has brought its challenges, there have been some silver linings too.

COVID-19 was really good for team building and getting to know people. Throughout the lockdowns, with assistance from our support office team, we checked in on all our independent living residents with regular phone calls. It was a great way to deepen our relationships with them – I found that extremely rewarding.”