Family and faith provide practice nurse Sheela Bautista with the inspiration to give her patients the best treatment every day. As a dedicated health professional at Villawood Medical Centre, Sheela believes compassion and caring are just as important as medical knowledge when it comes to helping people on their journey to a better lifestyle.
How long have you been a practice nurse and how long have you been practising in South Western Sydney?
I was a registered nurse in a nursing home in South Western Sydney for six years before I transitioned to general practice nursing. I have been working as a practice nurse here for the past 16 months.
When/why did you decide to pursue a career in nursing and specifically in primary care?
After migrating to Australia as a permanent resident in 2006 with my husband and children, I began pursuing my dream of becoming a nurse. Although I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in computer science in the Philippines, nursing was always the career I truly wanted.
When the opportunity presented itself, I pursued my studies and graduated with a Bachelor of Nursing.
Today, working in primary care allows me to fulfil a lifelong dream by helping people in my community, building meaningful relationships with patients and supporting their health and wellbeing. I find great fulfilment in knowing my work can make a positive difference in people’s lives.
Tell us about the role of nurses in primary care
Nurses play an important role in primary care by providing patient-centred care, promoting health and wellbeing and supporting the prevention and management of chronic conditions.
Our responsibilities include health assessments, immunisations, wound care, health education and assisting doctors in meeting patients’ healthcare needs.
My previous experience as a registered nurse in aged care settings has strengthened my clinical skills, adaptability and ability to work collaboratively with other healthcare professionals.
I believe in treating every patient with compassion, respect and understanding while recognising their individual needs. I am also committed to continuous learning and professional development to improve my knowledge and provide safe, high-quality care.
For me, nurses play a vital role in improving health outcomes and ensuring patients receive accessible, compassionate and quality care within the community.
What do you love about nursing/ what do you find most fulfilling about your role?
What I love most about nursing is the opportunity to care for people and make a meaningful difference in their lives. My personal values of compassion, respect, kindness and empathy guide the way I care for every patient.
Whenever I look after someone, I imagine they are my own parents or family members. This reminds me to treat every patient with the same love, patience and respect I would want my own family to receive, always striving to provide safe and high-quality care.
As a practice nurse, I find the greatest fulfilment in listening to patients, understanding their concerns and helping them feel comfortable and supported. I believe every patient deserves to be treated with dignity, regardless of their background or circumstances.
I also value honesty, teamwork and continuous learning, as these are essential to providing the best possible care. For me, nursing is more than a profession; it is a way of serving others with genuine compassion and making a positive difference in my community.
Tell me about your ideal work day?
My ideal workday is one where I provide quality, patient-centred care and make a positive difference in people’s lives. I enjoy welcoming patients, listening to their concerns and helping them feel comfortable, safe and supported.
One of the most rewarding parts of my role is caring for newborn babies. I enjoy watching them grow, providing their immunisations and supporting their parents throughout their child’s early stages of life. As a mother myself, I can relate to the joys and challenges of caring for a baby. I enjoy sharing my knowledge and offering practical advice and reassurance to new mothers, helping them feel more confident in caring for their babies.
I also value teamwork and collaboration with doctors and other healthcare professionals to ensure patients receive safe and effective care. I enjoy learning from different organisations, gaining new knowledge and continuously improving my nursing skills.
At the end of the day, I feel fulfilled knowing I have treated every patient with compassion, respect and kindness, just as I would care for my own family.
What do you like to do in your spare time away from work?
In my spare time, I cherish spending quality time with my family, as they are at the heart of my life. Being with my loved ones helps me recharge and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
For me, nursing reflects the values I hold dear in my family life: kindness, patience and a genuine concern for others’ wellbeing.
What do you love most about South Western Sydney?
Since migrating to Australia with my husband and two children in 2006, South Western Sydney has become our home. Over the past 20 years, my family and I have built our lives here and I have developed a strong appreciation for the area’s cultural diversity and sense of community. Our journey has taught me the importance of support, understanding and feeling welcome in a new environment.
These experiences have shaped the way I approach nursing. I understand every patient has a unique story, cultural background and family circumstances which may influence their health and wellbeing.
Being able to care for people from diverse backgrounds and give back to the community which has been part of my family’s journey makes my role especially meaningful. For me, nursing is not only about providing healthcare; it is also about building trust, supporting families and helping people feel valued and cared for within their community.
What motivates you to work in our region?
Having lived in South Western Sydney for 20 years with my family, this region has become an important part of our lives. I feel a personal connection to the community and a genuine desire to give back to the place we call home.
I am motivated by the opportunity to care for people from diverse cultural backgrounds, understand their individual needs and support them with compassion and respect. My own family’s journey of settling in Australia has taught me the importance of feeling welcomed, supported and understood and I want my patients to feel the same way.
Knowing I can make a positive difference in the health and wellbeing of my community is what motivates me to continue working and growing as a nurse in South Western Sydney.
Do you have any role models and why?
My greatest role models are my husband, my children, my mother and especially God. My Christian faith guides the way I care for my patients. I look to Jesus as an example of love, compassion, patience, humility and kindness.
His teachings remind me nursing is not only about clinical knowledge and skills, but also about having a caring heart and treating every person with dignity and respect. My faith inspires me to serve others with compassion, especially those who are sick, vulnerable or in need of comfort and support.
Alongside my faith, my family has also played a very important role in shaping the person and nurse I am today. My husband and children have been a constant source of love, encouragement and strength throughout my life. My mother has taught me the importance of unconditional love, patience, sacrifice and putting family first.
The nurses I have worked with have also inspired me through their dedication, professionalism and commitment to their patients. They motivate me to continue learning and improving my nursing skills.
For me, nursing is more than a profession; it is an opportunity to serve others and make a positive difference in people’s lives. I believe my Christian faith, the values I have learned from my family and my nursing experience all shape the way I care for my patients. Together, they inspire me to provide compassionate, patient-centred care which comes not only from my knowledge and skills, but also from my heart.
How do you help educate your patient about maintaining good health?
I believe patient education begins with understanding each person’s needs. For example, when educating a patient with diabetes, I demonstrate how to use a blood glucose meter, including washing and drying their hands, inserting the test strip, using the lancet safely and recording their blood glucose result. I then ask the patient to demonstrate the steps themselves to confirm their understanding.
I also explain the importance of taking medications as prescribed, maintaining a balanced diet, and recognising signs of high or low blood glucose and proper exercise.
Working with people from diverse cultural backgrounds in South Western Sydney has taught me to adapt my teaching to each patient’s needs and beliefs. I treat every patient with the same patience and compassion I would give my own family. My goal is to empower patients to manage their health confidently and safely.
This article appeared in Practice Pulse on Wednesday, 4 November 2026. If you are a GP, practice nurse or practice manager in South Western Sydney and do not get the weekly Practice Pulse email, speak to your Practice Support Officer.
