We will all be cared for by a nurse at least once in our lives - it’s just the context of that care that will be different for everyone. For Donna Ballantyne, pictured above, being raised by a nurse made the profession a major pillar in her life.

Donna followed in her mother’s footsteps, becoming a nurse herself. For the past 13 years Donna has worked as a registered nurse at Northgate Aged Care. This service exists within the Department of Human Services (DHS), in the Disability Services division.

DHS Disability Services provides services for South Australians with disability. It offers supported independent living, allied health services, equipment and assistive technology, and can help with the management of NDIS supports. This ensures that every client receives the help they need to live their most independent life at home, and in the community.

Donna has incredible compassion for the clients she and her team support at Northgate. She’s extremely dedicated to providing quality care and support.

“Nursing has always been something I had been passionate about," Donna said.

"As a young adult I actually had a family member residing at Highgate Park after a brain injury (pictured right). So, exposure to nursing and the disability services has been ingrained in my whole life.

“What I really enjoy about my work at Northgate is being able to advocate for our clients and making sure they get everything that they are entitled to, to have a good life."

This theme for this year’s International Nurses Day, being held on Sunday 12 March, is ‘Our Nurses, Our Future: The economic power of care’. It aims to bring attention to the societal value of investing in nursing.

When asked why she feels nurses are so valuable to society, Donna said: “I don’t think our health system would work without nurses. We are the primary point between the doctors and our clients.”

Donna also explained the importance of making sure the clients and their families and guardians understood why medical decisions had been made. That interpretation often occurred via nurses.

“To be able to spend that extra time with people so that they really understand what’s going on, that’s really crucial,” she said.

Nurses provide so much more than clinical support. An important part of a nurse's role is to bridge the technical aspects and help a client or patient understand what is happening, to feel safe.

There is an added layer of complexity when you're working with people living with disability, Donna explained.

“For example, taking a person’s blood pressure is a standard nursing skill but you have to consider variables outside of the clinical need," she said.

"We have to ensure each client is comfortable and calm. That sometimes requires significant emotional support, interpersonal skills and trust.”

When asked how she takes care of her own wellbeing, she laughed, saying: “That’s an interesting question. We're a tight team here, so we’re quite comfortable with each other."

"Sometimes you can’t tell the people in your personal life the things that you experience at work. It’s nice to know that, even if you’re off roster, you can pick up the phone and debrief about a situation with a colleague.”

Find out more by visiting DHS Disability Services.