Claire Reardon – Nursing Unit Manager

23rd September 2024

No one day is the same in maternity at Calvary John James Hospital and, as Nurse Unit Manager, it is Claire Reardon’s job to ensure staff are prepared for anything coming their way.

“I make sure we have the right staff for the mums and babies we have coming into the unit. I’m responsible for organising the staff, arranging the equipment we need and making sure we have the right supplies on hand,” Ms Reardon said.

Ms Reardon has been a midwife for more than 23 years. She began her career at a regional hospital before moving to Canberra and beginning at Calvary John James Hospital more than 15 years ago.

“I chose to become a midwife because in Dubbo, where I worked at the time, you had to be a midwife to be able to work in the special care nursery with the premature babies.  I then decided I quite liked looking after their mothers as well, but working in the nursery is really my happy place,” Ms Reardon said.

Ms Reardon said it was the people who made the maternity unit so special.

“We see a lot of mothers return to Calvary John James Hospital to have their next babies. I truly believe the staff are the reason they keep returning,” Ms Reardon said.

“They can see the physiotherapists, they’ve got lactation support, they’ve got their doctor and they’ve got the option to stay longer.

“We are here to help the mother adjust to motherhood, become a little bit familiar with breastfeeding and all of the mother crafting skills as a whole. Becoming a mother is a really beautiful experience and it can be scary, so we are there to support mothers.”

The maternity services at Calvary John James Hospital celebrated 30 years on 21 September, 2024.