For as long as Tabby Al Shaikhli can remember she has wanted to work in the health field. She has a passion for helping people and brings that passion to her work as a nurse at Auckland Prison.
While working as a District Nurse in Auckland Tabby read an interview with a Corrections nurse and realised that’s exactly what she wanted to do.
“This is such a rewarding job and I feel so proud to put on my uniform every morning,” says Tabby.
Coming from a district nursing background, there were some adjustments that Tabby had to make when starting her role at Corrections. She has found that the nurse-led approach to Corrections health services has made the work more rewarding than she anticipated.
“What makes the role different to nursing in a regular hospital is patience and the ability to really listen and ask the right questions – to be able to make an assessment quickly and refer the patients correctly to whatever tests and treatment they need.
“We are a nurse-led clinic - the nurses really do everything.”
Tabby has found that Corrections offers her great opportunities to advance her knowledge and skill set with ongoing training and learning on the job. She has become more involved with liaising with the doctors who visit as well as patient referrals – all things she had not done before becoming a Corrections nurse.
Tabby enjoys working with the people in our care and finds that they are grateful for the services and support that the nurses provide.
“The amount of respect and gratitude we receive from our patients is amazing. Often when they leave or are transferred, they come to say thank you for what we have done for them and then I really feel I am making a difference.”