For more than three decades, Loreto Lotz has given her heart and soul to Mater.
Often asked why she’s stayed at Mater for so long, Loreto’s answer is always the same.
“I love what I do, and I love the people I work with.”
She also loves contributing to the Mater Mission, something which has remained steadfast.
“I like to think that I have made a contribution to the Mater Mission … not that I am going down in history for any great event … but it’s the little things like ensuring a patient’s journey is not compromised because I sent them to to the wrong department, or being able to help a colleague in need.
“I have seen numerous governance changes, organisational structures, building changes, information system upgrades, and colleagues start and end their Mater journeys … but through these changes, the Mater Mission and our Values have not changed,” she said.
Loreto recalls her first interview, and what immediately made Mater different.
“I was not asked about my administration experience. It was ‘we are here to care for the patients, so what do you think you could do to help?”
“My answer was short and sweet—‘I will do whatever needs to be done’—and this has been my motto for the past 30 years.”
It was merely hours into her first shift that Loreto found out what this response meant.
“It was lunch time for the patients in the Adult Hospital and the Sister in Charge handed me a spoon and told me that I could dish out the potatoes. We needed all hands on deck to get the meals out to the patients—so I played my part.”
While our Mission and Values have remained steadfast, one thing which has changed during Loreto’s Mater journey are our administration processes.
“Thirty years ago, computer technology was limited, and you had to write everything by hand, including the ward bed lists.
“I remember once when I was a ward clerk, I’d just finished writing the list, and then it was decided that the patient in bed one should move to bed six, the patient in bed six should move to bed three, and the patient in bed three should move to bed 12 because the patient in bed two was going home.
“All of that moving would leave the beds closest to the nurses free in case of an urgent admission overnight, which of course was logical, but meant I had to rewrite the bed list out all over again before I went home!”
Loreto has been able to develop her career at Mater, for which she is grateful.
“I have been fortunate. I have worked in varied administration roles from a ward clerk and booking officer through to a supervisor and coordinator.
“With each role came new challenges and hurdles both professionally and personally and I truly believe that the foundation given to me years ago by the Sisters of Mercy has helped me succeed in what has been an enjoyable working life.
“At the end of the day Mater, like any other organisation, is bricks and mortar. It is the people I have met along the way that give this organisation its culture, from the patients and visitors, to my colleagues and friends.
“People will continue to ask me why I choose to stay at Mater, but perhaps my answer should change to ‘why would I leave?’”