Barely two hours after accepting an award for her exceptional commitment to compassionate care, midwife Bernadette Peoples was by a mother’s side, helping to deliver a healthy, new baby at Mater Private Hospital Rockhampton. 

It’s a true testament to her unwavering dedication and passion for her patients, that has left its mark on countless families over her 35 years of service.

Mrs Peoples says she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“People say to me working in maternity must be incredible. I say it is. But if you had to ask me what the most rewarding part of my career is I’d say people just generally are so grateful,” Mrs Peoples said.

“When you walk out, and people thank you and you feel you make a difference … I think that’s just incredible.

“Recently, a couple contacted me because they wanted me to be with them when they had their last baby, after what was a long, emotional, and challenging road.

“Things like that are incredible, such an honour.”

The much-loved midwife has just received a Long Service Award for her incredible 35 years of service at Mater – one of 32 Mater staff at Rockhampton to be celebrated for their hard work and dedication.

Surprisingly, Mrs Peoples didn’t initially want to be a nurse, but was encouraged to try the profession by her sister, who had ventured into nursing.

“I started out in midwifery casually and then rotated through a variety of areas – the surgical ward, a bit of HDU (high dependency unit) – but I always dabbled in midwifery,” Mrs Peoples said.

“And then there was a time when I needed a sea change, and there was an opening in midwifery, and this is where I’ve been since.”

Mrs Peoples says she enjoyed a ‘resurgence’ of sorts on permanently moving to midwifery.

“I’ve upskilled and reskilled, I’ve done antenatal classes for 15 years plus now, so in coming here I got a whole new role,” she said.

“Instead of coming up here and ageing and going quietly into retirement, I entered a whole new chapter education-wise, passion-wise.”

She cannot speak more highly of the value of education, both for nursing and midwifery students as well as for prospective parents.

“Education is the most valuable tool you can give anybody,” Mrs Peoples said.

“The biggest thing we find in our antenatal class is the connection we can create.

“We give them a lot of information, which is valuable, but one of the most valuable things we give them is a connection between the outside world - the community - and the maternity unit itself.

“They walk in and straight away they see a familiar face: it’s a connection with staff, it’s a connection with each other, it’s a connection that has the power to put them at ease.”

It’s that feeling of comfort and connection that drew Mrs Peoples to Mater more than three decades ago.

“What stood out was the ethos and the matron at the time, Sister Marie Ridell,” she said.

“Sister Marie Riddell particularly was just incredible; she had a care factor, she knew people, she wanted to help people.

“It was like a family – everyone looked after each other – there was a feel about the place that I just absolutely loved.”

As retirement edges closer, she is showing no signs of easing her foot from the pedal.

“I don’t feel old, I don’t feel redundant, I feel very current, I feel very appreciated, it’s going to be hard to leave I think,” Mrs Peoples said.

“And the people I work with are great – I couldn’t ask for a better team – so yes, it will be hard to leave when the time comes.”