General News
5 July, 2023
Hometown nurse recognised in awards
TERANG Medical Clinic’s Melissa Callesen believes holistic practice and a dedicated team approach saw her named a finalist among Victoria’s top rural primary care nurses.
TERANG Medical Clinic’s Melissa Callesen believes holistic practice and a dedicated team approach saw her named a finalist among Victoria’s top rural primary care nurses.
Ms Callesen was named a finalist last month for the Victorian Rural Health Awards 2023 in the Outstanding Contribution to Rural Primary Care Nursing Award category.
The category recognises exceptional rural nurses or midwives who have delivered outstanding patient care, positive outcomes and who perform above the expectations of their role.
While Claire Oettinger of Get Well Clinic in Healesville took home the award, Ms Callesen said she was humbled to have been named a finalist.
“It was overwhelming to have been nominated; it’s nice to be appreciated and a little bit of recognition goes a long way,” she said.
“I didn’t expect it at all, it was a lovely surprise to get the e-mail saying I had been nominated.”
Ms Callesen felt going above and beyond for patients during her nine years with Terang Medical Clinic had been important to her, as she is a born and raised Terang native who has long appreciated the community-first approach to practice instilled by Dr Tim Fitzpatrick.
“I know a lot of people in the community, I have family in the community, so it’s nice to come back rurally after spending a few years in Warrnambool,” she said.
“Primary health care is quite a diverse area, which gives us the freedom to provide holistic, patient-centred care.
“We all go above and beyond to try and give our patients the best care because we don’t even have the kind of resources Warrnambool has, so we have to find ways of managing with what we’ve got.
“In a rural practice it’s very important to have a strong primary health care team who are heavily reliant on a relationship between colleagues from doctors to nurses and reception and management.”
The desire to provide the best care was behind Ms Callesen’s decision to pursue her masters in nursing, which she aims to complete in 18 months and receive endorsement as a nurse practitioner.
“With a shortage of GPs everywhere at the moment, upskilling of nurses is probably going to become quite a big focus in years to come,” she said.
“Nurse practitioners have an extra qualification, which means I can do a little bit more than a nurse can do but not quite as much as a GP can.
“I can prescribe, make referrals and do a little more which will help take pressure of GPs with an expanded range of patients I can take on, and also allow me to provide a bit more comprehensive care from start to finish rather than referring a patient to a GP.”
Ms Callesen had been nominated for the Victorian Rural Health Awards by colleague Dr Stefanie Hammond.
“Melissa has been an amazing practice nurse for Terang Medical Clinic,” Dr Hammond said.
“She’s always thinking a step ahead about what she can do to make our job easier, how to provide comprehensive assessment to patients to tick as many boxes as possible to make it easy on GPs when a patient is referred.
“The fact she is upskilling to best support the community as a nurse practitioner is something we’re thrilled about because it can take pressure off us.
“The fact she is doing that so she can do more for her community is something to be celebrated.”
Ms Hammond said the whole team at Terang Medical Clinic wanted to recognise Ms Callesen as a thank you for her willingness to always go above and beyond.
“She also played a large role in our COVID vaccination program, which was so much work and very important to the community,” she said.
“All our nurses are fantastic, and we’re so lucky to have the nurses we’ve got, because everyone works together so well and knows the different ways our doctors like things to be done.
“The efficiencies they find and the way they work has helped our GPs see more patients without totally burning ourselves out.”
Ms Callesen acknowledged the medical industry was crying out for staff, and felt anyone considering a career in nursing had the opportunity to pursue a great opportunity.
“Nursing is such a rewarding career,” she said.
“You have to be passionate about what you do, and when you are it comes easily to you.
“There are so many opportunities, and the possibilities are endless.”
