'My Milestone' By Wendy Anne Litchfield

Everyone reaches a milestone at some point in their life. Some sad, some a real joy and some maybe we are not so sure about (like approaching 70!!!)

For me the 29th January 1971 was special. 50 years ago, I started my nursing career as a very shy, very proud and definitely very excited, student nurse. It had been my dream for as long a I could remember.

Moving into the nurse’s home and away from my family was exciting but scary for someone who grew up in Fiji and had never been away from home. Fortunately, my mum and dad were also in Australia.

Prince Henry Hospital was at La Perouse on the very outskirts of Sydney. It was part of a group of hospitals where we were sent to round out our training. The wards were all old, located over large areas, draughty, cold in winter and hot in summer. Two of the hospitals (Prince Henry and The Eastern Suburbs Hospital) no longer exist and Prince of Wales has been completely rebuilt into a massive modern campus that in no way resembles my training hospital.

Despite all that our training was superb and I still believe it prepared me for the 45 year career that I have loved and look back on with very fond memories. I think in that time I worked in every role from Student Nurse to Director of Nursing. I also became a Midwife later on after training at Crown Street Women’s Hospital. Sadly, once again the hospital no longer exists.

Imagine my surprise (and delight) one day to walk into a ward at Prince of Wales Hospital to find someone who was in my class at St Joseph’s Primary in Suva as a patient. Every now and then I met people from Fiji who had come over for treatment. That was always very special.

This year I was due to attend a 50 year reunion being held at Prince Henry’s site where there is a very large and wonderful Nurses Museum and amazing Chapel (well worth a visit from anyone living in Sydney). The museum is run by volunteers as is the Chapel. The chapel remembers Nurses who have served in the armed forces and has the most beautiful Stained Glass windows looking over the water.

Thanks to Covid our reunion has been cancelled. Like many of you, the virus has affected my life like nothing I have ever experienced. However, compared to many around the world (including in my beloved Fiji) I thank God I have not had the hardships experienced by so many others.