Nursing truly is a family affair for the Gierke’s and mum Jeannine couldn’t be happier.
Now working in the Mackay Base Hospital Intensive Care Unit she says in her 32 years of nursing the highlight of her career has been watching daughter’s Maddy and Jessica follow in her footsteps.
“I am so proud that my girls have decided to pick nursing as a career,” she said.
“It’s very rewarding, versatile and a great career to get into. I have loved watching my girls go through university and now that they are working and succeeding in their career, I couldn’t be prouder.”
Maddie Gierke, now a Registered Nurse in Outpatients, first thought of becoming a nurse just like mum in high school.
“All through high school I had an interest in becoming a nurse because whenever mum came home from her shift, she would have all of these wild stories and they just kind of interested me,” she said.
“Once I finished high school, I had a gap year and then went into University to study nursing. I graduated last year and now I am doing my post graduate year.”
Maddy says having a nurse mum has helped make University and her placement much easier.
“Mum has really helped me throughout this part of life, she said.
“From going through University, where mum was a really big help with assignments, to now in my placement, she has always been there to answer my questions.
“Thank you for helping me through my nursing journey mum.
“But it’s not over yet, I will still come to you with questions,” she laughed.
For the rest of the Gierke family, having three nurses in the family to care for them while unwell is definitely a plus but the nurse talk at dinner isn’t one they can stomach.
“Every now and then the three nurses get together and chat nurse talk around the dinner table,” Jeannine said.
“But when we are talking about something gross, we are definitely told to stop. My husband in particular has a weak stomach.”
When Maddy finishes her graduate year she is hoping to secure a position working on the surgical ward as a Registered Nurse. Jessica recently moved to Brisbane to work at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in their orthopaedic trauma ward. Jeannine’s youngest daughter has chosen a different career path in the navy, which Jeannine is also very proud of.
