Topic: Practice nursing

“Being able to help people in their times of need and when things seem uncertain is a wonderful thing.”

Jason Sagredo, from Queen Street General Practice, Campbelltown, has worked as a practice nurse in South Western Sydney for six months.

With a lifelong interest in First Aid, Jason became a cadet with St John Ambulance in Year 8 of high school and was amazed by the nurses on duty: “I wanted to be able to help people the same way”.

Now caring for a variety of patients with different needs, Jason works closely with GPs to deliver quality care to our community and aims to ensure we have a health-educated population.

How long have you been a practice nurse and how long have you been working in South Western Sydney?

I graduated in 2020 and have been a practice nurse in South Western Sydney for about six months.

When/why did you decide to pursue a career in nursing and specifically in primary care?

I always had an interest in First Aid.

I became a cadet with St John Ambulance in Year 8 of high school where I met many nurses and was amazed with what they were able to do. I wanted to be able to help people the same way.

Tell us about the role of nurses in primary care

The role of a nurse in primary care is absolutely paramount.

We help people of all ages, from six weeks old to the elderly in their 90s.

We play an immense role in preventative care through health assessments, wound dressings, vaccinations for both children and adults and so much more.

We work closely with GPs to deliver quality care to entire communities and ensure we have a health-educated population.

What do you love about nursing/what do you find most fulfilling about your role?

Being able to help people in their times of need and when things seem uncertain is a wonderful thing. At a time when you feel most vulnerable, you want someone there to help you, and it’s a privilege to be able to be that person.

Tell me about your ideal work day…

On an ideal work day I’ll have a variety of patients needing different things. I find being able to use different skills to achieve optimal outcomes throughout the day makes time fly by. It always provides new opportunities to learn.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

On my time off I like to play bass, walk my dog and do some nature trails.

When I can, I also enjoy the odd camping trip. Getting away from your day-to-day life and being in nature can be the refresh you need after a good week’s work.

Do you have any role models and why?

On my placement as a student nurse, I had the privilege of working with many wonderful nurses and doctors who really took the time to teach me many things from their arsenal of knowledge.

It’s these lessons that really stayed with me and I hope to be as knowledgeable as these incredible healthcare professionals one day.

How do you help educate your patients about maintaining good health?

I am a big advocate for preventative care, and as such I always like to make sure my patients are educated on their immunisations and know what these vaccines protect against.

We also educate patients on self-administering injectable medications and safely disposing of sharps.

We take the time to get to know our patients and see if they need help in any facet of life so we can point them to the right resources – another great way we improve health literacy for our communities in South Western Sydney.