Jessica Nelson meets Siobhann, a doctor at a NSW hospital emergency department
How long have you lived in Stanwell Park?
We moved down from Sydney about five years ago. We were lucky enough to know about this secret gem through some long-time friends. Coming down to the area for a visit was always a treat … at that time there wasn't much mobile phone reception so it was great being able to completely switch off!
After starting our own family, it was evident that there weren’t too many other places that offered the same kind of beach/bush lifestyle yet would still be close to family and work commitments near Sydney. Since we’ve found our bit of paradise, we feel like we’re living the dream!
What drew you to a career in Emergency Medicine?
I came into medicine later than most, after spending a few years travelling overseas. When I eventually came home after various jobs in hospitality, teaching etc, I decided I wanted to go to university and chase the option of doing medicine. During training you have rotations in various medical and surgical specialities, but working in the Emergency Department (ED) had me right from the start. I love the pace and the unpredictable nature of the job – every day is different. You don’t know what is going to come through the front door. I like being involved with people from all ages, cultures and walks of life.
I feel very privileged to have an insight in other people’s worlds and be able to help them.
Please give us some insights as to what it’s like working in the ED.
Working in the ED is a pretty high stress environment. It’s a constant hive of activity that rarely stops. It requires multitasking, problem solving and make decisions through endless interruptions, alarms and Batphones.
The things that make all this achievable is working alongside the rest of the ED team – the doctors, nurses, paramedics, allied health and admin staff at all levels of training – who come together to help patients through their ED journey. Whether it be resuscitating a trauma patient, stabilising a septic patient, fixing up cuts and broken bones, it’s challenging but rewarding.
COVID has definitely changed things in the ED. It’s certainly getting busier and working long shifts in full PPE can be exhausting.
It has stretched us at times but again, that’s what we are good at – adapting to the constantly changing environment in which we work.
What hours do you work in the ED?
The shifts are usually 10 hours and over any day of the week – emergencies never stop! At the moment I feel grateful to be able to work part-time so I can balance things between hanging out with the kids and family but still have enough time at work to feel I’m gaining more experience … even though you spend 6+ years at university and another 10 in training to become an ED Specialist, the learning never stops. It’s part of what I love about the job.
What are your views on the vaccine effort?
I feel like everyone’s doing a great job getting vaccinated, with 83.6 per cent of the over-16 population receiving their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine as at 23 September. That’s a real achievement and helps us get closer to the targets that will allow us to get back to a more normal way of living. I thank the community for embracing vaccination. In doing so, people have taken an important step to protect themselves, their loved ones, the community and our healthcare workers.
And finally, is the ED anything like the TV dramas?
Ha! Of course – the ED is full of George Clooneys, McDreamys and Meredith Greys!
The more locally produced reality TV medical shows probably show elements that are similar to what a normal day is like. I may have even had a cameo in those myself many moons ago!
However, they certainly don’t depict, like any job, the less glamorous aspects!
