Kate’s caring career celebrated

• Local community nurses Sasha Lette, Kate Blackwell and Anne Gillespie.

October 5, 2022

By Daisy Baker

After more than 30 years delivering care throughout the Dorset community, local nurse Kate Blackwell has retired.

She has been assisting people in their homes from Scottsdale, Derby, Winnaleah, Gladstone, Bridport and beyond, enabling them to stay in their homes and receive quality care outside of hospital.

Ms Blackwell started out her career at the LGH and did some relief work for Dorothy Ranson who had the Derby round at the time.

“We used to visit an old man in Derby and you’d have to go and cut the wood to light the fire to warm the water to give him a bath and while that was happening you’d make his bed,” she said.

“Things have certainly changed a lot since then.

“Years ago it was like the old bush nurse where you’d go in and shower people.

“These days it’s dressing wounds, give an injection, putting in a PICC line or antibiotics or doing palliative care.”

After working part time in Scottsdale doing alternating weekends, Ms Blackwell took on a permanent role in Gladstone in 1990.

She said at the time there were community nurses also stationed in Derby, Branxholm, Bridport and Scottsdale and she was responsible for clients throughout Gladstone and Winnaleah.

She later moved office to Ringarooma where she worked alongside Jan Dennison, covering Ringarooma and right up the coast.

Most recently she has been based in Scottsdale.

While the role has changed significantly over Ms Blackwell’s career, community nurses continue to play an invaluable part of health management services across the North-East.

Ms Blackwell said community nursing was a family friendly career option for her while she had young children at home.

The connections she has made with fellow staff, clients and their families is something she will fondly remember.

“I’ll miss catching up with the staff and clients because you do learn a lot about the clients that you go to see because you’re there quite regularly and often for a long time so you get to know them and their family and are involved in their care.”

As for her retirement, Ms Blackwell said her days will be spent looking after her grandchildren, and enjoying time at Musselroe Bay with her partner George.