U3A Benalla and District Inc.
  • Home
  • Benalla
    • Benalla
    • Benalla District
    • Who, What and Where? - Benalla Rural City
  • About
    • Our U3A
    • President's Page
    • Executive Committee
    • Convenors >
      • Convenors
      • Convenors A - Z 2022
    • Program Suggestions
    • Newsletter
    • Website
  • Groups
    • Groups A - Z
    • Recent Groups >
      • Armchair History
      • German - Beginners
      • Meditation
      • Russian Literature
      • Hot Topics/The News - Fact or Fiction?
    • Archived Groups >
      • A - M >
        • A Different View Of German History
        • Armchair Traveller
        • Booker Reading Group
        • Bushwalking - Mid-week Walks
        • Comparative Religion
        • Facebook for Mentors
        • Google Apps/TS Plus
        • History - An Introduction to Western Civilization
        • History - Moments in Australian History
        • Investment I (1996 -2015)
        • Legal Matters (Short Course)
        • Making the Most of the Internet
      • O - Z >
        • On Target - Learning to Shop Online
        • Opera
        • 'Over There'
        • Rail and Tourism
        • Tech Savvy Apple Devices - Intermediate
        • Tech Savvy Community Projects
        • Travel Group
        • Zoom Short Course
  • A-Col
    • A - COL
    • 'A Taste of Art'
    • Art Appreciation
    • Australian History
    • 'As Time Goes By' >
      • Home
      • Our Stories - by topic
    • 'Be Connected'
    • Birdwatching
    • Brain Games
    • Bushwalking - Easy Walks
    • Cards '500'
    • Chat n' Chew
    • Coin Collectors
    • Collectors
  • Col-G
    • COM - G
    • Community Singing
    • Creative Writing
    • Demystifying Psychology
    • Enjoying the Internet
    • Exercises for Fun
    • Exploring the Universe
    • Family Research - Advanced >
      • Home
      • Family Stories
    • Family Research - Beginners
    • Film Discussion Group
    • Garden Appreciation
    • Garden Team
    • German >
      • Home
      • Lessons
  • I - R
    • I - R
    • 'In the Lap of the Gods'
    • Investment
    • Jane Austen Book Club
    • Let's Talk Books
    • Lifeball
    • Meet and Mingle
    • Music Appreciation
    • Page Turners
    • Patchwork and Craft
    • Photography
    • Play Reading
    • Politics & Current Affairs
    • Recorder Group
  • S - Z
    • S -Z
    • Singing for Fun
    • Sky's the Limit
    • Stock and Land
    • Sustainability
    • Tech Advice
    • Tech Savvy Apple - 'Pages'
    • Tech Savvy Beginners - Android
    • Tech Talks
    • Ukes4Fun
    • Wine Appreciation
    • Wise Guys Book Group
  • Join
    • Join Us
    • Membership Application/Renewal Form
    • Program Guide 2023
    • Timetable - Month Overview
    • Full Timetable with Dates
    • New Courses 2023
    • Venues and Maps
  • News
    • News - General
    • February Newsletter
    • Calendar 2022
    • Monthly Calendar
    • Website & Facebook
  • FB
  • Gallery
    • Gallery 2022
    • Gallery 2021
    • Gallery 2020
    • Gallery 2019
    • Gallery 2018
    • Gallery 2017
    • Gallery 2016 >
      • + Christmas Lunch 2016
    • Gallery 2015 >
      • Christmas Lunch 2015
    • Gallery 2014
    • Lifeball Video
  • Links
    • Resources and References
    • U3A Network Victoria
    • Seniors Online Victoria
    • U3A Albury Wodonga
    • U3A Beechworth (Indigo U3A)
    • U3A Bright
    • U3A Wangaratta
    • U3A Goulburn Valley
  • Contact

'Faking It'

20/6/2016

0 Comments

 
During the week I listened to an interview with a paramedic and people who were first on the scene of a traumatic situation about how they managed.  The paramedic’s statement resonated with me when he described driving to an emergency, sirens blaring, his own heart beating furiously, aware he would be the person striving with the appearance of a calm demeanour that would reassure those around him, regardless of his own misgivings.
 
I could relate to so many areas in my nursing career when my own sense of calm was essential to maintain a feeling of reassurance, control, guidance and comfort to others
.
One's own feelings rarely were allowed to show and yet the memories remain.  The times when the real feelings were shown were rare in public, yet I hope people could sense my empathy.

Maintaining a professional barrier sometimes was lowered and personal emotions were occasionally glimpsed in those nearby.  A brief chat with fellow staff often helped alleviate feelings and certainly in the privacy of home and a very understanding partner I could talk about my true feelings in handling sensitive situations which would pull on my heartstrings.  The situations did not go away quickly and many a night I would have hours of disturbed sleep, thinking of the people in my care, returning to work the next day, quietly confident and reassuring and hopefully instilling the same feelings to those in my care and also those I worked with.

So many memories, the little girl and her Jewish family, where death intervened as echoes of Happy New Year could be heard from the street below; the emergency department in Melbourne city hospital; the overdoses; the people who had the mysterious headache that enabled them to be admitted, thus giving them a place to stay for the night.  Running with an orderly through the tunnels underneath the hospital with a patient on a trolley heamorrhaging, hoping we could get him to theatre before he died, trying to tell him it’s okay.  Being first on the scene of a car accident with three fatalities, others desperately needing assistance and miles from help.

In latter years I have worked at the Benalla Hospital and in aged care.  Resuming work at Benalla hospital after a brief break, amongst quite a few changes I was shocked to find new laws to protect drug addicts from using dirty needles meant hospitals were responsible for providing clean syringes and needle packs when requested.  We were not to judge and of course always maintain the confidentiality of the client.  To hand over a pack of needles and syringes, which thankfully didn’t happen every day, was so difficult.  Knowing some of the clients, I felt complicit, but remained impassive.  There was nothing I could do to change the request.
​ 
I eventually moved into working in aged care where I helped care for the same people over a period of time, many years for some.  Working in this environment was like being with and caring for an extended family.  I felt privileged to play a small part in these people’s lives and many times shared emotions with patients and families.  The barrier was breaking down. 
 
Jenny McKenna
June 2016
 
0 Comments
    'Our Stories'

    Jenny's page

    Picture

    Archives

    July 2019
    November 2017
    October 2017
    March 2017
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016

    Categories

    All
    'Advice'
    'Another Time'
    'Easter'
    'Faking It'
    'Good Vibrations'
    'My Other Life'
    'Proverbs'
    'Right Here
    Right Now'
    'Shaped By Childhood'
    'Stock And Land'
    'The Spud Diggers'
    'What Happened In Vegas'

    RSS Feed

We acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we meet and pay our respects to their elders - past, present and emerging.
Picture
News
​Newsletter
Facebook Page
​
Program Suggestions
​CO-VID Safety

U3A Benalla & District Flier 2023
​Membership Application/Renewal Form 
​
Program Guide 2023
Semester 1 Timetable with Dates 2023
Semester 1 Timetable Month Overview 2023
Developed and maintained by members, this website showcases U3A Benalla & District. 
​Photographs - U3A members; Benalla Art Gallery website; ​Weebly 'Free' images;Travel Victoria and State Library of Victoria