Congratulations to former Wounds Australia member Christine Carr on her retirement after a fulfilling career in wound care.

We have a chat with her to find out more about her experience in wound care.

Pictured: Former Wounds Australia Member, fresh retiree Christine Carr

What did you do and where did you work?

I started out as an occupational nurse in a large factory in the western suburbs but left that job for extended outback travel with my husband.

On returning in 1996, I found an ad in the local paper for a position as a practice nurse in a GP clinic that eventually became IPC Health, a large community-based organisation with many sites in the western suburbs of Melbourne. I had no experience in this field but felt my prior nursing experience would be helpful, so I applied and was lucky enough to get a part time position.

What did you enjoy most about your job and why did you choose to pursue this field?

I felt like a fish out of water when I started at the GP clinic but I had a great charge nurse who had a real passion for holistic wound care and was a member of Wounds Australia. She became a great mentor to me and taught me so much.

I cannot remember when I joined Wounds Australia myself but I'm so glad I did because it fostered my passion for wound care. Wound care was a big part of my nursing experience at IPC and with knowledge came better outcomes for patients.

There were certainly challenging patients in my 33 years at IPC Health but we had a great team of nurses and allied health professionals (podiatrists) who cared for a complex group of ageing patients.

What is your proudest achievement – personal or professional?

My proudest moment in my job at IPC Health was applying for and going back to Uni to obtain my nurse immuniser certificate. Immunisation and wound care were my passions in nursing.

How did being a Wounds Australia member help you better care for your patients?

Being a member of Wounds Australia provided me with the knowledge to care for my patients. Conferences, articles, magazines, etc were an amazing help to me in understanding the complexity of wound care. I also met some amazing, passionate people, like Jan Rice and Geoff Sussman.

Over the 33 years I worked as a practice nurse, I enjoyed seeing the changes and advances in wound care products and how they had an impact on patient care and outcomes.

How do you spend your spare time? Hobbies?

I'm still navigating retirement after 50 years of nursing. My hobbies are craft oriented and I make my own Christmas and birthday cards.

What are your plans now that you've retired?

My husband and I are planning on a lot more travel, before we get too old!

Anything you'd like to add? Any words of advice for those starting out in their careers?

I would certainly encourage nurses to look into practice nursing. It's been an amazing journey - I've spent two-thirds of my nursing career in this field with no regrets!

Become a Wounds Australia member

Wounds Australia members are, like Christine Carr and Fullife Pharmacy's Lara Gliana, passionate about wound care and improving health outcomes for patients. Is this you? Find out more about the many benefits of membership to Australia's only national peak body for chronic wounds.