Southern View: August 13, 2020

SOUTHERN VIEW Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Thursday August 13 2020 3
News
Award honours nurse’s achievements
CASSIE SCAIFE had a wide
smile as she absorbed the news
that she’d been named Ryman
Healthcare’s nurse of the year.
It was no small achievement
– Christchurch’s Ryman Healthcare
is New Zealand’s largest
retirement village operator and
employs 620 nurses at 36 villages
in NZ and in Australia.
Anthony Wilding Retirement
Village has been a big part of life
for the Halswell registered nurse.
She first started at the village
as a 17-year-old school student,
working in the laundry and then
the kitchen teams when it first
opened in 2007.
Scaife first trained as a
paramedic in Wellington after
leaving school, filling in her time
with shifts as a caregiver at Rita
Angus Retirement Village while
she was studying.
It was while working as an ambulance
officer that she attended
an emergency and realised that
her destiny lay in working as an
aged-care nurse.
“We went on a callout to look
after an older woman who was in
trouble. It was when I was caring
for her that I realised that looking
after older people was what I
really wanted to do,” said Scaife.
“I think my workmates were
surprised, but that’s what I
DELIGHT: Ryman Healthcare’s nurse of the year Cassie Scaife (left) with Anthony Wilding
Retirement village caregivers Ubbie Kooma, Raziya Nisha and Sharma Vasu.
wanted to do.’’
She returned to Christchurch
to begin a three-year nursing
course at CPIT and later returned
to where it all started at
Anthony Wilding to work as a
registered nurse on the afternoon
team.
No one was more delighted
with her win than her mother
and sister, who were on hand
for her awards night celebration
along with daughters Phoebe, 5,
and Hazel, 3.
“It’s an amazing place and
team to work with,’’ said Scaife.
“You never hear them complain
no matter what is going on.
They just get on and put in the
effort to care for everyone and to
do their best for them.’’
She was also grateful for
Jeannie Sales, Anthony
Wilding’s clinical manager,
and Sharon Armstrong, village
manager, for their backing over
the years.
Said Scaife: “Jeannie has been
a great mentor. She’s always there
and makes time for those long
conversations you need about the
lessons you’re learning and the
problems that come up.
“She told me early on to
listen carefully and to ask the
right questions to guide conversations,
particularly with
families.
“It’s been great advice and
something I try to pass on.
“Sharon’s always efficient and
supportive, no matter what the
problem is.’’
Scaife was brought up in
Leeston and a lot of residents
are retired farmers from the
district.
“I’ve grown up knowing them
and their families so there’s a
real community feel to what we
do,” she said.
“Talking to them, seeing
that they are happy and
knowing their quirks is all part
of the job.’’
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