Former enrolled nurse Doreen Lewis has seen plenty of changes in her 50-year career with health services in Ararat.
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After retiring this year she was a awarded a 50 years service certificate at East Grampians Health Service’s recent annual general meeting at Willaura
Getting her start as a nurse cadet at Murtoa hospital in 1964 aged 16 and a half, Mrs Lewis was due to start her next round of exams at Horsham’s Wimmera Base Hospital but life got in the way.
“I fell in love with a boy from Ararat,” she said.
“I transferred to Ararat in July 1965 and I’ve been here ever since.
“I had a few children after I arrived. There was no maternity leave back in those days so I didn’t get much of a break.”
Mrs Lewis said she had worked in all departments of East Grampians Health Service, including in theatre, and had spent much of her late career in on the night shifts.
“I’ve seen a lot of changes, particularly in aged care with the move from Pyrenees House and eventually setting up Lowe Street,” she said.
“There’s a a lot more technology involved, but a lot more paperwork as well.”
Mrs Lewis said one of the more interesting aspects of working for 50 years in the one place is that some of her nursing colleagues had become patients at some point.
She said there was quite a few people who put in 40 years’ service but 50 years was rare.
Mrs Lewis said she was spending her retirement taking care of her grandchildren and their activities, working on her garden and she hoped to go travelling.