With 30 years experience under her belt, Wendy McBurney has cared for thousands of expecting mums, helped deliver babies and been involved in various pioneering programs at Nepean Hospital.
But despite her successful career, what keeps Ms McBurney going after all these years is her passion to help women.
“I started my nursing career in 1979 at Westmead before coming to Nepean in 1984 as a midwife,” Ms McBurney said.
“Midwifery draws me in more than nursing – it is the whole idea of providing support for women during their pregnancy, labour and after birth as well.”
This Saturday, May 12 marks International Nurses Day – an opportunity to commemorate all nurses and the vital work they do in the community.
For nurses, it marks a celebration of their profession and their contributions in hospitals, health facilities, community health, disability and aged care settings.
Ms McBurney, in particular, has made a significant contribution to Nepean Hospital in terms of pioneering programs for midwifery.
In 1996, she set up the local Day Stay assessment unit, which allowed women to be seen by staff without having to be admitted to the hospital.
“That was very rewarding to see the benefits of this program because it meant women could spend more time at home with their families rather than staying in the hospital,” Ms McBurney said.
And just last year, a collaborative program Ms McBurney was involved with received various health and government awards.
“I was part of the team that worked with Justice Health and Corrective Services NSW to facilitate change in the model of care we deliver to pregnant women in custody,” she said.
Ms McBurney has worked as the nurse unit manager of Women and Children Outpatient services for the past 10 years.
“As a manager I now get to facilitate the type of care that is provided and make sure it is of a high quality,” she said.
She completed her Masters in Nursing (Women’s Health) in 2007.
