Sisters of Mercy's mission still strong after 90 years
Mater Misericordiae Hospital Mackay was born in May 1927
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UNTIL the year 1927, the Sisters of Mercy in the Mackay region had devoted themselves solely to education.
But in that year, at the request of Bishop Shiel and Monsignor Joseph Mulcahy, they commenced another important undertaking that was to endure - the care of the sick.
They purchased from the Misses Ivers, the Ormond Hospital, which had been built some years previously to the orders and design of Dr C.E. Williams as a hospital for his private patients. It stood at the corner of Brisbane and Gordon streets.
The hospital soon proved inadequate, however, and in 1936 a new wing was opened in Gordon Street - one that was to remain a significant Mackay landmark until the turn of the century.
More upgrades were to follow in the years to come.
"The Sisters of Mercy had been started by Catherine McAuley in Ireland,” Sister Denise Hinton said.
"She had a big house in Dublin and helped people off the street with education and life skills.”
The values of Catherine McAuley have been carried on through the religious order and Sister Hinton said she was proud the Mackay Mater Hospital still kept the same values alive.
Sister Hinton worked at the Mater from 2005 to 2011 - after the hospital moved to it's current site in Willetts Rd.
She smiled as she remembered working with her biological sisters Bev Waddington and Cecily Hinton for a short time.
Sister Hinton's role at the hospital was in co-ordinating pastoral care and directing the staff with values important to the hospital.
A nurse who has been a part of the Mater family for more than 40 years is Donna Jones.
Mrs Jones who is now the Nurse Unit Manger of St Luke's and St Rita's, began her training at the old Mackay hospital site in 1971.
Mrs Jones was 17 and fresh out of high school.
"I had always known from when I was tiny that I wanted to be a nurse,” she said.
"Mum used to dress us up as nurses and we would fix our dolls.”
And her nursing career has been everything Mrs Jones could have wished for.
She said her favourite part was being with people and helping them.
She admitted there were highs and lows with the job and that it was an emotional roller coaster.
"I have been very lucky to have a supportive family,” she said.
"My husband was supportive and my children grew up in a nursing environment and now my partner is also supportive,” Mrs Jones said.
"I think it's important to have people around you that you can debrief to and who will listen,” she said.
Mrs Jones said even after 40 years she still wasn't used to the pressure of saving lives.
"Nurses are there for the beginning, during and the end - it's never easy and although birth can be joyful we see people in their most vulnerable state,” she said.
Over the decades Mrs Jones has worked in different areas of nursing and said that was one of the great things about the career - the places you could go. "I tell new nurses to spread their wings and see all the areas of nursing,” she said.
Training has changed since 1971 and Mrs Jones now sees university students learn about nursing.
"We had on-the-job training and we had to attend lectures in our own time,” Mrs Jones said.
Technology has also changed over the years.
"Digital computers have changed things a lot - in the past it was all visual and gut feelings.”
Mrs Jones can also see the future of nursing at the Mater Hospital and is excited about the growth and possibilities ahead for the health industry in Mackay. While she may be approaching the end of her nursing career, Mrs Jones said she still loves being with people and bedside nursing is the place for her.
"I love what I do and I have never wanted to go into any other industry,” she said.
Mrs Jones' nursing efforts were recently recognised by the Rotary Club of North Mackay, which made her a Paul Harris Fellow. Mrs Jones, who is not a Rotarian, said she was humbled by the award.
From Beth Thomas, Mackay Mater executive officer
IN the 1920s Mackay was one of the fastest growing towns in Queensland and the Sisters of Mercy saw a real community need to extend their healthcare ministry to the people of Mackay and surrounds.
After negotiating for some years to buy the then- Ormond Private Hospital, the Mater Misericordiae Hospital Mackay was born in May 1927, general medical patients and maternity patients were admitted during the first month of operation with the formal handover of the Hospital to the Sisters of Mercy occurring on May 29, 1927.
The past 90 years has seen the Mater Mackay grow in bed numbers and expand its services to include palliative care, oncology and a high dependency unit.
In 2003 the Hospital moved its location from Gordon St to its current Willetts Rd site in North Mackay. Whilst change has been the Mater Mackay's constant companion for the past 90 years, the values of human dignity, justice, compassion, service and a special concern for the poor have always remained at the heart of the quality, compassionate clinical and pastoral care that the Hospital has delivered over all those many years to the people of the Mackay region.
As the years have passed, the number of Sisters working in the ministry of healthcare have diminished but we who work at the Mater Mackay today always remember that the wonderful facilities our patients and staff enjoy at the Hospital today are built on the dedication, professionalism and extraordinary service of countless Sisters of Mercy and the lay people who partnered with them in this healing work of Mercy.
As we celebrate 90 years of service by the Mater Hospital to the people of Mackay, we commit to carry forward with respect and authenticity the work of those that have gone before us.
We commit to ensuring that the Mater Misericordiae Hospital Mackay remains a place of holistic healing where providing those we serve with excellence in compassionate and merciful care is at the heart of all we do each and every day.
Originally published as Sisters of Mercy's mission still strong after 90 years
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