Stawell’s newest NUM is full of praise

Stawell’s newest nurse unit manager has heaped glowing praise on her team at Grampians Health Stawell. 

After years of director and management roles in health care to her credit, Kylie Davey has chosen lifestyle over career to work in a job share role with Amy Yole as nurse unit manager (NUM) for the Simpson acute ward and Urgent Care Centre at Stawell. Her appointment has ensured the NUM role at both Urgent Care and Simpson Ward is appointed to full time between her and Amy. 

While only two months into the role, there are several factors that have grabbed Kylie’s attention. But the biggest one is the positive attitude of the campus team. 

Having begun her career in health care hospitality as a teenager and with several years of directorship and management roles under her belt, Kylie has experience at all levels in the health industry. She said she was really impressed with the Stawell campus and its team. 

“People here have been genuinely welcoming and warm which has made my move very easy,” she said. 

“I’ve been really impressed with how well-resourced the Stawell campus is compared to other hospitals of this size where I’ve worked. It feels like a well-cared-for environment and there is genuine pride from the team who work here. 

“I’ve worked in most levels of the health industry and have an appreciation for everybody’s job, enabling me to genuinely empathise and support people if they are having a difficult day.” 

Growing up in Geelong, Kylie went from hospitality to personal care, continued her studies to become an enrolled nurse and finally a registered nurse. It was only then that she moved to metropolitan hospitals including a two-year stint at the Alfred in Melbourne. This was followed by a specialist year at University Hospital Geelong – known then as Barwon Health. 

When Kylie met husband Simon, she enjoyed some casual work at South West Healthcare Camperdown because it was close to the family farm. Then when the couple started their own family, Kylie moved back to Melbourne to a care manager role in aged care for the routine life of 9am to 5pm weekdays. This opened doors into positions managing quality, risk and compliance and eventually into managing and directing. 

“Along the way I picked up a pocketful of skills and met some wonderful people who also were nurses and became managers – and we have mostly ended up working in the same places,” Kylie said. 

“I guess that was because they enjoyed working under my style of leadership which includes having a good sense of humour but I’m also very passionate about people getting the right care and in the right manner that is safe. 

“I believe that in nursing, we fare well when we can show compassion and understanding toward our patients and not only focus on clinical model. I believe it’s so important that people feel heard, respected and understood while they are in our care.” 

Kylie joined Ballarat Health Services in 2018 as Director of Nursing Northern Central where she was in charge of five Ballarat aged care campuses. She later moved into a consultancy role with the Department of Health and Kylie explains the opportunity to work at Stawell was ‘the right thing for where I am with my work life balance goals’. 

“I’m living my best life. I’m not on call. I can be with my family and I get to work with really lovely Grampians Health staff who also want to deliver timely and safe care. 

“I also get to use and refresh my clinical skills – and lead with amazing colleagues who are open to truly flexible collaborative work environments”.