Celebrating our Nursing Whānau - Chris Rivers, Kath Erai & Jo Rivers
Name: Chris Rivers
What nursing role do you do? Clinical Nurse Specialist: Renal Transplant
How long have you been working as a nurse? I commenced my nursing training in January 1967 and have been employed at Whangarei Hospital since 1985.
Who influenced you to become a nurse? My older sister.
Where did you study? Waikato Hospital—hospital-based training.
Have you seen many changes in nursing since you graduated? Many, one of the most notable is that senior nurses are now very approachable and willing to share knowledge not strict, rigid and scary.
What further changes would you like to see in the future? Basic nursing care taught and implemented. This is the foundation of becoming a good nurse. Pay equity. More nurses. Safer staffing. An off-campus renal unit. A new hospital in my lifetime.
There must be no end of highlights in your career. Can you give us one that stands out? It never ceases to amaze me how excited I get when a patient on the transplant waiting list gets the call up for a kidney - this is life-changing and makes overseeing the evaluation process really worthwhile. Great job satisfaction.
Would you recommend nursing as a career path? Absolutely. It is a career that can take you all over the world and allows you to specialise and become expert in so many different fields.
Name: Jo Rivers
What nursing role do you do? Clinical Nurse Manager – Rural, Family and Community Clinical Services
How long have you been working as a nurse? I graduated in 1989
Who influenced you to become a nurse? My Aunty, she was fabulous and very caring, I remember visiting her at the Mater as a child in Auckland and loved having tours of the hospital.
Where did you study? NorthTec called Northland Polytechnic at the time
Have you seen many changes in nursing since you graduated? Absolutely, even my time at Northland DHB. I laugh at even the number of office rotations, Maunu House to Dairy House, back to Maunu and now in Commerce Street. It’s fabulous having community services back in the community.
What further changes would you like to see in the future? Northland having better health outcomes for our population.
There must be no end of highlights in your career. Can you give us one that stands out? So many. I think back and laugh about my district nursing in London, walking, bus or train between clients.
Would you recommend nursing as a career path? 100%, I have had an amazing career so far. I have met some awesome colleagues and clients. There’s a variety of areas to work and being able to travel and earn good money.
Name: Kath Erai
What nursing role do you do? Clinical Nurse Manager Emergency Department (ED).
How long have you been working as a nurse? 30 years
Who influenced you to become a nurse? Definitely my mum
Where did you study? Waikato Polytechnic.
Have you seen many changes in nursing since you graduated? Absolutely. Comprehensive nursing training has enabled nurses to assume greater responsibility in more areas of healthcare.
What further changes would you like to see in the future? Continued advanced education enabling nurses to meet the health care of a growing number of patients. Greater wellbeing within nursing.
There must be no end of highlights in your career. Can you give us one that stands out? I have worked in ED for 24 years of my nursing career due to the amazing people I work with. ED brings different challenges on a daily basis. You never stop learning. The biggest highlight would be completing my Masters in Health Science, something I never thought I would do.
Would you recommend nursing as a career path? If you are up for a challenge and want to make a difference in people's lives daily then nursing profession is for you.
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