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29 April 2025
Stories
| Home Care
Amanda’s journey into nursing began when she started working as an Assistant in Nursing (AIN). Encouraged by a friend who recognised her natural empathy, she decided to take the next step and study to become a Registered Nurse (RN).
“My friend gave me a copy of Mosbys Dictionary [of Medicine, Nursing and Health Professions] and said, ‘I think you’d be a great nurse’. So, I decided to go for it.”
Amanda’s early career as an RN saw her specialise in paediatrics. Fast forward 12 years and she was working in high-care dementia support. Wanting a role where she could build deeper connections with those she cared for, Amanda transitioned into community nursing and then saw an ad for the BaptistCare at home team.
"I was the first BaptistCare at home nurse on the Far North Coast of NSW,” Amanda says. “Now there are two of us, and soon we might need three!”
For Amanda, working as a nurse with BaptistCare at home is a career filled with purpose, compassion, and genuine connection. No two days are exactly the same and that's one of the things she loves about it.
Most mornings start with a coffee and a look at her schedule for the day. From there, she’s out on the road, visiting clients in their homes.
“My days are almost always on the road, only occasionally I’ll go into the office,” she says.
Her work involves everything from help with medication, to cognitive assessments, to wound care, all delivered in the comforting environment of the client’s own home.
“Community nursing is very special,” she says. “We are welcomed into people’s homes, their safe spaces. To be allowed to go in and assess their needs, it’s a real honour.”
Amanda’s role is as much about providing reassurance as it is about nursing care. Being able to spend time with clients is one of the things she likes best about the role. She loves being able to really get to know her clients – not just their health needs, but their personalities, their carers, and families, and what matters most to them.
“One minute you might be changing dressings or sorting out medications, the next you’re sitting down sharing a cup of tea and a biscuit and hearing amazing life stories,” she says. “Although if I had a biscuit with every client who offered me one, I'd be the size of the Goodyear blimp!”
Her work involves everything from help with medication, to cognitive assessments, to wounds.
But home care nursing also has its challenges.
Some days a client might be going through a rough patch and be a bit grumpy. Other days might require creative problem-solving, such as when she knows a client is likely to remove their own dressings.
“An ordinary woven dressing might be all that’s required, but you know your client and you suspect they will go for a shower and get it wet, so you make a decision to put a waterproof dressing on. Sometimes, it’s just little things like that. You have to think outside the square.”
Clients living with dementia can present communication challenges and sometimes family members can have different ideas about care needs, but Amanda approaches each situation with patience, empathy, and a deep commitment to understanding.
“Of course we have clear protocols and clinical guidelines at BaptistCare to ensure client safety, and we have such a wonderful team. We all support each other.”
It’s clear that Amanda finds deep satisfaction in her work. "It’s so rewarding when you are able help someone, especially elderly clients who might struggle to visit their GP. Being able to remove stitches, care for wounds, or simply make life easier for them and their families, that’s what makes you go home knowing you’ve really made a difference.”
Amanda says that having strong relationships with her clients means that they become almost like an extension of her family and so their struggles can hit close to home. The incredible support from her manager and colleagues helps her with emotional resilience.
She also takes care to look after her own wellbeing by maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
“I make it a priority to switch off on weekends,” she says. “Whether it’s spending time with family, getting stuck into a good book, or just relaxing, having that downtime is really important.”
International Nurses Day holds a special meaning for Amanda.
“It’s a day that honours not just Florence Nightingale and the start of modern nursing, but every nurse making a difference in people's lives today,” she says.
Amanda sees it as recognition of the hard work, compassion, and resilience shown by nurses across every field, from hospitals and aged care facilities to community settings like hers.
“Nursing is a profession that touches so many lives, often in ways people never see. I think without nurses there'd be a big hole in the healthcare system.”
When asked what advice she would give to someone considering a nursing career, Amanda says having compassion and empathy are first and foremost. She also encourages new nurses to be open-minded and resilient, because it can be tough.
“There can be really sad days, but then there are days when you come home beaming because you've had such a fun-filled day or you’ve had a win with a difficult wound.”
She says nursing is also a great career because the learning and growing never stops. “Nursing offers so many pathways, whether it’s hospitals, aged care, paediatrics, or community care, there’s something for everyone.”
For Amanda, home care nursing with BaptistCare at home isn’t just a job, it’s a calling.
“It’s an incredibly fulfilling career. You know you have helped make not only your client’s life, but the life of their family and carers a little bit better, and that really means a lot.”
Could you benefit from nursing care at home? BaptistCare at home is one of Australia’s largest and most trusted providers of home care for seniors.
For more than 80 years, we’ve been delivering loving, respectful, and reliable care to people across NSW, ACT, and WA.
If you would like to know more about BaptistCare’s home care services, our friendly team is here to help you. We’ll listen, guide you through the care and support we have available, and provide tailored advice for your particular situation.
Please call 1300 275 227 (Monday to Friday, from 8:00am to 6:00pm) or email us at ask@baptistcare.org.au.
If you would like to know more, please complete the form and one of our home care specialists will be in touch.
