By Tyler Wright
A beloved maternal child health nurse has been farewelled by colleagues after decades of service to the Yarra Ranges community.
Ann Ferguson, 67, retired on Wednesday 23 August after a colourful career guiding families of young children.
“In my day I was hospital trained so I did my general nurse training; that was back in ‘74 and then in 1980 I did my midwifery at the Royal Women’s Hospital,” Ann said.
“I was drawn to maternal and child health because I’ve never wanted to be an administrator and you stayed in hospitals and you ended up supervising people so you lost your one on one patient care – and that’s what I loved about my nursing career, so maternal and child health appealed to me.”
Ann was successful in receiving a $10,000 scholarship from the state government’s health department which allowed her to study maternal and child health at the Phillip Institute, which is now La Trobe University, without needing to work to support herself during that time.
“It was a new course and it was full time diploma and you had to work for a council for 12 months after that, and that was your only obligation,” Ann said.
After applying for quite a few jobs as a “passionate” graduate, Ann got an interview with the Shire of Lillydale and in 1982 began a role as infant welfare nurse at the Kilsyth Infant Welfare Centre.
After taking time off to raise three of her own children, Ann returned to hospital; this time taking on night duty shifts, as well as undertaking bookkeeping work at her husband’s firm.
“I went to City of Cranbourne which turned into a council emalgemation and went to Frankston, and I stayed there; it was a great position, lovely council to work for as well, and I stayed there for about six or seven years,” Ann said.
After once again stepping back from work to raise her family Ann felt there was “something missing” and decided to once again apply for a job at Yarra Ranges Council
“I applied, and started relieving, and then in 2004 I started down at the Belgrave South, Belgrave and Selby centres,” she said.
In 2018, the The Belgrave and Belgrave South MCH centres were relocated to the newly-built Belgrave Community Hub, while Selby Community House remains as an outreach MCH centre.
[The Belgrave Community Hub is] a one-stop shop or anything from your podiatry, to child speech, to maternal child health to support services; so, that’s been a huge positive step and something that I’m really embracing, being able to be the foundation nurse there and hopefully for many years to come.
“There’s been different new chapters all the time, which has been challenging, but in a good way.
“I’ve embraced the community, I felt like I was coming back home to the Yarra Ranges after very changed circumstances over the years.”
Ann said there hasn’t been a day where she hasn’t learned about life and families in her role as a nurse.
“I saw a little boy this week…I did a three and a half year review, and he had been quite unwell as a baby; had to come home on oxygen and he came to the new parent group and his mum said ‘I remember you saying to me that day how he loved the music and the songs.’
“Here I was looking at this really healthy three and a half year old who was in good health; he’s still going for regular checkups, but he’s just blossomed.
“I’m always in awe of what the families are going through themselves because some have got incredible extra things happening in their life other than having their baby… I learn from parents all the time.”
Maternal and Child Health Services Coordinator at Yarra Ranges Council, Tarny Irwin, said it is “difficult to say” what a traditional day would look like for a maternal and child health nurse like Ann.
“Every appointment that we complete is so unique and it can’t be replicated,” Tarny said.
“If we see a family the next day, they’ve had another day of learning and another day of their circumstances changing, so that flexibility is about being able to have a global holistic view of the family and walking beside them, rather than being task orienter.”
Ann has also left a legacy as the first nurse to work at Selby Community House through the council’s outreach program.
Ann said her last day felt “surreal.”
“I’ve heard many beautiful comments, which is pretty overwhelming. It’s been a very special day with the support of our team,” she said.
“I’ve met the most wonderful friends and people I’ve come across through working as a child health nurse.”
Ann’s next step will be to travel around Japan with her daughter and support her husband with bookkeeping work for his company.
“There’s lots happening, so I’m sure I’ll have my time filled; but this will be a very special chapter of my life.”
