Clinical Nurse Helen Simon knows everything about the human heart.

She's part of the family in the Coronary Care Unit which operates across Mater Hospital Brisbane and Mater Private Hospital Brisbane and is constantly amazed by the work of Mater’s cardiologists – and the strength of the heart.

"I wanted to know everything about one subject and be an expert, so that's what I've done," she said.

"Cardiology is constantly changing and we're always finding new ways of treating people, I just love it.

"I also like how you can perform an ECG on a patient and 10 different people can see something totally different."

Helen has been a nurse at Mater for 16 years, after moving to Australia from England with her family for a sea-change.   

Her role is dynamic, but mainly consists of assessing and treating patients who've experienced heart attacks, heart failure and elective procedures – helping them feel at ease during what can be an anxious time.

"Every patient is different and I can tell almost instantly what type of patient they will be within the first minute of meeting them,” Helen said.

“I usually try and help them cope by making them laugh."

But Helen didn't always have nursing in the front of her mind.

"I was actually a technician in the Royal Air Force in the UK," she said.

"I used to spray-paint fighter jets and the Red Arrows, but I always wanted to be a nurse. 

"My advice to anyone wanting to study nursing would be to do it.

“Get as much practical experience as you possibly can – and it helps if you’re a people person!”