‘Lots of career opportunities at Resthaven’
Resthaven Westbourne Park Clinical Nurse, Finela Laluces, 27, has gone from strength to strength in the six years since she began working with Resthaven.
Originally from the Philippines, where she worked as a nurse, Finela underwent two years of further study upon arrival in Australia in 2014.
‘I started as a Personal Care Assistant as Resthaven Mitcham, where I studied nursing for two years,’ she says.
‘After graduating, I applied for the Resthaven Transition to Professional Practice Program’ [TPPP].
The Resthaven TPPP aims to support graduate nurses to transition to a professional aged care environment, and it was certainly beneficial for Finela.
‘I started off on Enrolled Nurse shifts, then buddy shifts,’ she says.
‘I was partnered with experienced Registered Nurses, who showed me what to do and how to run the floor.’
‘It taught me what I needed to know – the things they don’t teach you at university.’
‘It was really helpful in instilling the knowledge you really need.’
After working as a Registered Nurse on night shift for around 12 months, an opportunity arose to apply for the Clinical Nurse (CN) role, when the existing CN, Annie McColl, moved into the Resthaven Relieving Care Coordinator role.
‘When Annie moved on, I decided to apply,’ Finela explains, ‘And I’m so glad I did. Now, I need to step up as a leader. It’s a good career progression.’
‘Resthaven is really supportive in teaching me as well.’
‘They’ve provided training for me in many areas, including Aged Care Funding Instrument (ACFI), wound management, catheterisation, and other aspects of nursing care.’
Whilst she does miss direct care, Finela is enjoying being able to ‘have the time to talk to residents more, and oversee their needs from a wholistic point of view.’
‘I make sure their care needs are supported, I’m more of an advocate.’
‘Residents trust us that we’re going to provide them with the best care. That trust given to us, that we’re going to look after them, is so important.’
‘Just like Resthaven trusted me and gave me a chance.’