Celebrating International Nurses Day – Ellie Grieve

From the time she was four years old and lining up her dolls, Ellie Grieve knew she wanted to one day become a nurse and help others.

As she entered her teens, she knew she also wanted to be a midwife and help bring babies into the world.

Ellie completed her nurse training in the UK in 1990 and began training as a midwife after moving to Australia.

Her career has included periods working at the old Mater Children’s Hospital and Mater Mothers’ Hospital.

In 2012 Ellie began working closer to home at Mater Private Hospital Redland and is now the Nurse Unit Manager of its oncology, the surgical ward, and obstetric unit.

Ellie says that being both a nurse and midwife comes with unique privileges.

“I love it when you get to hand a baby to a family that has experienced problems having a child – it is absolutely beautiful,” she said.

Ellie believes patient-centred care begins with treating others how you would want yourself or your family member to be treated.

“I believe that patients need to have regular contact with their nurses, which is why it is really important that we involve our patients in their entire journey from the moment they walk in the door until the moment they leave,” she said.

“I want the patients to feel comfortable enough to come and talk to me. I try and round on as many patients as I can, so I can find out how their experience has been and how we can use that to keep building up the ward to be better than it is now.”

Ellie comes from a long line of nurses, and it is a legacy her daughters are continuing.

And just like Ellie, her four-year-old granddaughter Olive is already dreaming about becoming a nurse one day too!

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