A passion for compassion

From an intensive care nurse to a high-care unit coordinator at Ryman Healthcare's retirement village in Wheelers Hill, Victoria, Charnel Sandy-Hayes has had a long and rewarding career caring for others. Here she tells us why she loves her job and what inspires her to keep giving.

When Charnel Sandy-Hayes started her journey in health care, her sole focus was intensive care nursing. She graduated with a BSc (Honours) in Nursing, followed by postgraduate studies in pharmacology in nursing and in intensive care nursing.

With a deep passion to help people, Charnel has worked as an intensive care nurse over 14 years across three continents. “For almost a decade I progressed as an afterhours hospital coordinator. I wanted to move into management; however, I knew there was more to learn from a management perspective and wanted to put my clinical background to good use.”

When opportunity knocks

Little did she know, there something else was in store for her. Charnel was presented with an opportunity to work at Ryman Healthcare , a provider of retirement living and care in retirement village communities across Melbourne, Australia and New Zealand.

“A career in aged care wasn’t my original ambition; however, since starting with Ryman Healthcare, I know this is exactly where I’m meant to be,” she said.

“At Ryman, I have the support of a great management team to guide and support my professional development and I am very fortunate to manage the best team of people.”

A typical day

Reflecting on a typical day in her life, Charnel said, “I wake up at 6 am, have a quick breakfast, feed our menagerie of animals and arrive at work by 6:45 am. I check my messages, review my calendar, and ensure adequate staffing for the day and upcoming week.

“At 7 am, we have a handover meeting to discuss any concerns and required follow-up for residents. I update care plans, oversee resident care and arrange external services and meetings with the ‘Multidisciplinary Team’ as needed. I check in with staff and attend daily education sessions and meetings to improve our services. I manage stock, conduct staff appraisals and ensure their education is up to date. Afternoon handover starts at 2:45 pm, and my shift ends at 3 pm, but I may check my phone for messages later due to the 24/7 setting.”

A career in compassion

Aged care roles are demanding, and the sector is going through significant change and also battling negative community perceptions, but Charnel encourages those looking to join the sector to look past the challenges and focus on how having “a direct hand in improving someone’s life, helping them with their emotional, physical and mental health is key”. 

“I strive to always lead by example, hoping that my spark of compassion will ignite the same compassion in the team that I lead. There will always be challenges and it is up to us to choose to rise to meet them and be the change that you want to see.”

The aged care industry has several paths depending on qualifications — from nursing to hospitality and catering, thus making it easy for people to find something that aligns, Charnel said.

“If your passion is caring for others, this is the industry for you,” she concluded.

Images: Supplied