Jane Warman believes once someone becomes a nurse, the profession always stays with them.
The now Huntleigh Home resident began working as a nurse at the age of 18. Her career saw her work in a head injury unit in Edinburgh, as a midwife, and as a community nurse in London.
Once she began pursuing different paths, the spirit of nursing stuck with her.
“Once you’re a nurse, you’re always a nurse,” she says.
Enliven, which operates Huntleigh Home and Apartments, is marking the World Health Organisation’s International Year of the Nurse and Midwife by profiling nurses who work for the organisation and former nurses who live in its homes and villages.
Jane received a special honour at Huntleigh Home in mid-May when Enliven celebrated International Nurses Day, timed to coincide with the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birthday.
Enliven has almost 160 nurses working in its homes across the lower North Island and many of its residents spent time working as nurses.
Following her time as a nurse, Jane worked as a midwife, ran a bereavement service for Aged Concern Brixton, trained as a psychotherapist and as an interfaith minister.
Her care and patience for others has been evident since moving into Huntleigh Home, says recreation team leader Annelize Steyn.
“She is very good at comforting people and has patience to get an insight on peoples’ needs.”
Since moving into Huntleigh Home in 2015, Jane has established a reading group using books designed for people with memory loss. She has also set up a spiritual corner in the home and looks after the flower arrangements.
