Police are investigating a serious traffic crash in Mackay last night a Toyota Camry struck a pedestrian on Sydney Street was transported to Mackay Base Hospital in a critical condition before being flown to Townsville University Hospital for treatment Forensic Crash Unit is investigating the circumstances of the crash Anyone who may have witnessed the crash is asked to contact police contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24hrs per day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting Report crime information anonymously via Crime Stoppers Call 1800 333 000 or report online at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au A trap has been set for the animal after a slide mark was seen Large slide mark on the bank of the Pioneer River on 18 February 2025 A crocodile that has moved into freshwater above the Dumbleton Weir in the Mackay region will be targeted for removal from the Pioneer River a member of the pubic reported what they believed to be a crocodile to the Department of the Environment Wildlife officers investigating the sighting report photographed a large slide mark on the bank of the Pioneer River on 18 February 2025 Senior Wildlife officer Jane Burns said recent crocodile sighting signs have been installed in the area and a spotlight search was conducted on 19 February 2025 “I would like to thank the person who reported the crocodile to the department and I can assure the community that the animal will be targeted for removal from the wild,” Ms Burns said “During our spotlight search last night we did not confirm the presence of a large crocodile above the weir “The Mackay region is known Croc Country and people should expect crocodiles in all water bodies even if there are no signs and they can get around built structures like the Dumbleton Weir We believe this animal moved into the area above the weir during the recent weather event “I urge people to be Crocwise while this animal is targeted for removal from the wild and I’m asking everyone to avoid swimming above the Dumbleton Weir while the trap is in the water “The animal might make its way downstream of its own accord but if we successfully remove this animal from the wild people still need to be Crocwise in the Mackay region “People are responsible for their own safety in Croc Country and should make sensible choices around the water “I’d like to encourage everyone in the community to make a sighting report if they see what they believe to be a crocodile.” Crocodile sightings can be reported by using the QWildlife app, completing a crocodile sighting report on the DETSI website, or by calling 1300 130 372 The department investigates every crocodile sighting report received Crocwise tips for people in Croc Country: View further information on being Crocwise Show your support for some of Queensland’s most important environmental initiatives Science and Innovation acknowledges Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Owners and custodians of the land and pay our respects to Elders past and present Science and Innovation is committed to respecting and our obligations under the Human Rights Act 2019 © The State of Queensland (Department of the Environment Queensland Government Townsville has secured a dominant 2025 Foley Shield performance winning both the men’s and women’s competitions in irreproachable fashion Please call us on 1800 070 535 and we’ll help resolve the issue or try again later Any Questions? Please call 1800 070 535. Monday to Friday 7:30am – 6:00pm, Saturday & Sunday 7:00am – 11:30am (AEST) Increased Journey Lengths: Seated e-scooter trips are on average 30% longer than those on traditional e-scooters, offering riders a more comfortable ride when travelling further, and for longer. A More Accessible Option: Addressing the needs of a diverse range of riders, data has shown the Saturn 5S opening e-scooters up to a broader riding population. Approximately 10% of Beam riders identify as having a disability, and seated e-scooters offer a viable option for them. The New Bicycle: Seated e-scooters have emerged as a strong alternative to e-bikes, with five times more trips taken on a seated e-scooter as opposed to an e-bike, where both options are available in a city.​Beam is excited about the impact of seated e-scooters in Mackay, offering a more accessible and environmentally friendly transport option that supports a connected, sustainable community. We’re on a mission to turn little drives into better rides, and make cities flow better for everyone. Copyright © Beam Mobility Holdings Pte. Ltd. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) The driving range at Mackay Golf Club has been around for more than 10 years the club has recently taken over owner and operations duties and has grand plans that are already beginning to come to life The driving range features 15-bays and a mini golf course and the vision of General Manager David Roche is to get as many people playing golf as possible – in all its forms With the golf club and driving range previously operating separately Roche is now eager to create a strong relationship and hopefully nurture new golfers through the mini golf and driving range to eventually playing on course "Having the control to be able to do what we want is a major benefit but so too is the cross-pollination," said Roche "We are going to give our golf club members some benefits at the driving range but also provide a social golf club membership to the current members of the driving range that aren't members of the golf club "To be able to drive all of it into one to be able to market to the audience down there that aren't members of the golf club will be transformative." Mackay also plans to offer discount green fees to driving range members and incentivise golfers who join both the range and the golf club in the same year by discounting the range membership price off their annual fees Mackay’s newly opened X-Golf facility has prompted questions to Roche on the rise in what might have been seen as typically competing offerings "What's there to be negative about?” was Roche’s response to such questions “Anything that brings more people into golf is a good thing and it doesn't matter where they get their start at some point they will transition from playing driving range or simulator golf to the golf course In June Mackay Golf Club will celebrate its 100th year anniversary with several events planned to mark the special occasion and with the venue’s investment in the game the next 100 years are already looking bright "The club was established on the 26th of June we will have a different competition on every day for members "We're inviting past presidents and captains and obviously dignitaries from around the area the first competition was actually played at Mackay Golf Club so we are celebrating that too later in the year it's also our Doing it for Jarrod golf day." To find out more about Mackay Golf Club, CLICK HERE. golf tips and access to partner promotions Join our newsletterGet weekly updates on news Mackay is a thriving region with a strong and diverse workforce of over 67,350 people and an impressively low unemployment rate of 3 per cent (as of September 2024) as the demand for skilled workers continues to grow attracting and retaining talent remains a challenge for local businesses To support employers in addressing these workforce needs has developed a Workforce Attraction Toolkit This comprehensive resource is designed to help businesses effectively promote Mackay as a desirable place to live © 2023 Mackay Regional Council. All rights reserved. We acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which the Mackay region stands, the Yuwibara and Yuibera people, and pay our respects to their elders, past, present and emerging. CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced The North Queensland Toyota Cowboys have inked a groundbreaking five-year partnership with Rugby League Mackay District running through the 2029 rugby league season As an investment in grassroots rugby league in one of the most crucial regions in the North Queensland footprint the Cowboys will provide a significant financial contribution to RLMD to become the naming rights partner for the next five seasons The Cowboys logo will appear on the jerseys of every junior and senior player in RLMD male and female competitions as well as RLMD Foley Shield jerseys The wider Mackay region has produced some of the finest players to don a Cowboys jersey in the club’s 30-year history from Proserpine’s Paul Bowman who debuted in the inaugural 1995 season to 2005 grand finalists Travis Norton and Josh Hannay from Moranbah through to current co-captains – Sarina’s Reuben Cotter and Mackay’s Tom Dearden The agreement with RLMD follows the partnership signed with the Rugby League Townsville District in 2024 Reibel: This is another step forward for rugby league in North Queensland “This agreement means every male and female player in the Mackay District pathway will wear the Cowboys logo from under 6s right through to the NRL and NRLW,” Cowboys CEO Jeff Reibel said “RLMD is the first step for young boys and girls in their rugby league journey and this partnership provides a clear pathway from local league in Mackay through to the Mackay Cutters and on to the North Queensland Cowboys “The strength of rugby league in Mackay is clearly evident in our current NRL and NRLW squads with Reuben Cotter and Tom Dearden co-captaining our men’s side and Emma Manzelmann and Jasmine Peters having been two of our standouts over the first two seasons of our female team.” RLMD Chairman Dan Ross said the relationship between RLMD and the Cowboys had helped shape the journeys of Mackay District rugby league players for three decades the North Queensland Cowboys have supported Rugby League in the Mackay District This enduring partnership is a shared passion for the game and a mutual commitment to nurturing local talent here in Mackay,” Ross said “This support has helped shape the journeys of countless players and strengthened the rugby league community We are proud to enter into the new agreement building on this incredible legacy and inspiring the next generation of Mackay’s athletes “The funding provides resources for our junior and senior players helps improve and maintain our local facilities that serve thousands of our local athletes and it ensures that rugby league in our region remains strong inclusive and a pathway for local talent to achieve their dreams.” Mackay Cutters CEO Dave Roberts said the partnership was important for continuing to grow rugby league in the region “This partnership is fantastic news for Mackay and the surrounding region,” Roberts said “Our longstanding relationship with the North Queensland Cowboys has been paramount to both our past success and our bright future “The addition of RLMD to this collaboration reinforces the commitment of all parties to developing rugby league talent in the region “This partnership highlights the importance of our region to the Cowboys and strengthens the pathway from grassroots rugby league to the NRL.” Cowboys 2025 NRL squad analysis - second row Cowboys 2025 NRL squad analysis - middle forwards https://www.mackay.health.qld.gov.au/about-us/news/new-efficiency-tool-showcased-at-national-pharmacy-conference An innovative tool which prioritises high-risk inpatients and streamlines workflows has put the Mackay HHS in the spotlight at Australia’s largest scientific pharmacy conference Mackay HHS pharmacist Neve Munro presented at the Advanced Pharmacy Australia Medicines Management 2024 conference in Adelaide last month about the development of the Risk Assessment Tool (RAT) which has revolutionised inpatient care at Mackay Base Hospital The system enables pharmacists to triage patients based on acuity and is proving so successful it is now being trialled by other Queensland HHS sites including Townsville University Hospital Sunshine Coast Hospital and West Moreton Health The Risk Assessment Tool (RAT) was developed by a small team at Mackay Base Hospital led by pharmacy director Ron Nightingale and including Neve clinical informatician Robert Knight and deputy directors Sarah McLennan and Kathleen Cox With limited clinical pharmacists available to manage an increasing workload the department faced an urgent need to optimise its resources The RAT was created to address this challenge by enabling pharmacists to prioritise high-risk patients more effectively and allow the department to maintain safe efficient and equitable patient care to ensure the most critical cases received the necessary attention “We started work on this tool in October last year generating31 clinical indicators after a literature review These indicators were then localised for the Mackay population,” Neve said “Robert was the mastermind behind pulling data from ieMR and Hibiscus to create the dashboard which shows us our high risk medium risk and low risk patients for each day “This helps us target our work and benefits staffing because it reduces the time for pharmacists to manually prioritize patients which can take up to 1.5 hours a day increases efficiency and really allows us to see the more high-risk patients.” The department restructured its workflow and technician workforce to support this model once the RAT was rolled out in February after significant validation and trialling “We did a staff satisfaction survey and overall there’s been a significant improvement in pharmacy camaraderie which is due to transparency in workflows which has helped improve the level of teamwork,” Neve said As part of her residency training program through Advanced Pharmacy Australian Neve submitted an abstract about the quality improvement project and was selected to give the 11-minute oral presentation about the RAT at the national conference in Adelaide the MBH pharmacy team won the Hospital Team Innovation Award at the Advance Pharmacy Australia Queensland branch awards for the RAT and was a finalist in the national awards at the conference last month it was rewarding and satisfying to be part of an innovative team which has developed an important quality improvement project which was now being utilised by other health services “It’s fantastic to see a regional hospital in Queensland mentioned so many times at a national conference like that; and to know that a hospital this size is helping lead the way in terms of quality improvement and increasing efficiencies,” she said “It’s great to see you can still make big waves in healthcare which can have an effect on the care delivered in other centres “With other Mackay HHS facilities starting to use ieMR we can now also pull data from the rural sites now so potentially that will give us more oversight –  there’s a lot more things we can do and hopefully more projects we can work on in the future but the page you requested could not be found Local Sites Subscribe to Queensland Police News Answers submitted on this optional form will be used only to send you the newsletter you request. We will not give this information to third parties without your consent, unless required by law.More information about privacy Recruiting Look To The Stars Acknowledgement of Country https://www.mackay.health.qld.gov.au/about-us/news/learn-more-about-endometriosis-treatment-at-public-event Mackay Hospital and Health Service (HHS) will host EndoMarch next week, a public engagement event to raise awareness and understanding of endometriosis. Those attending will have the opportunity to meet the Mackay Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Service team, learn more about endometriosis and ask questions in a relaxed and informal setting. The morning event will begin with a 30-minute presentation by Mackay HHS Obstetrics & Gynaecology Specialist Dr Wojciech Szubert. Morning tea and informal discussion will follow. “Endometriosis is a chronic disease affecting women and girls,” Dr Szubert said. “It is associated with pelvic pain, pain with intercourse, painful urination or defecation, heavy and painful periods, and infertility. “It can have a significant impact on women’s health and lives, and it has been estimated that it can take six years to get a confirmed diagnosis. “At this event, we want to provide women with an opportunity to meet our Mackay Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain team who work together here at Mackay Base Hospital to find the best treatment options. “This is a relaxed and informal event and those attending can join us for some morning tea and ask any questions they have about this condition.” The EndoMarch public awareness event will be held from 9.30am – 11am on Friday, 28 March, in the Brampton Room of the Mackay Base Hospital’s Education and Training building, next to the Emergency Department. This is a free event and anyone who is interested in learning more about Endometriosis is welcome to attend. Global Grooves 2024 will be a feast for the senses complete with cultural dances vibrant traditional dress and mouthwatering food from across the world This free family event will transform Queens Park into a global party on Saturday Twelve cultural dance groups and bands will entertain crowds from 3pm to 8pm There will also be two exciting workshops where you can learn Latin dance moves and rhythm drumming and a dozen market stalls showcasing global-inspired creations and local assistance programs Mayor Greg Williamson said the variety of performances this year would be exceptional “Included in the exciting stage lineup will be Latin Papua New Guinean and Aboriginal dance performances,” Mayor Williamson said “There will also be bands like Piping Mad who fuse rock music with bagpipes to create a toe-tapping “We are also excited to have The Solomon Black Coral Band in the lineup “Black Coral have been around for many years but have only just reunited so we are happy to have them on the Global Grooves lineup They will be sharing traditional songs in various dialects that echo the beauty of their Solomon Islands homeland.” Mayor Williamson said the event would have a strong First Nations spotlight in 2024 “It’s tremendous to have the Aboriginal Dance Group Tchundal Malar headlining the event this year,” he said “Not only do they provide an exceptional showcase of Indigenous culture and dance – they also put on a great show smoke and fire to share their tribal stories.” One of the other big drawcards of Global Grooves is the opportunity to try traditional food from different nationalities This year’s options include fourteen vendors offering everything from dumplings ribs and woodfired pizza to lechon (pig on a spit) and various curries Global Grooves is an initiative of Mackay Regional Council and the MECC For more information, including market stalls, head to themecc.com.au/globalgrooves Image: Tchundal Malar provide an exceptional showcase of Indigenous culture and dance and we pay our respects to Elders past and present Learn more about Council's Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) 1300 MACKAY (622 529)council@mackay.qld.gov.au Share via...Gift this articleSubscribe to gift this article Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe capitalised at €69.5 billion ($120.8 billion) on the Euronext Paris has made its third attempt to add an Australian airport to its sprawling global portfolio has lobbed a non-binding indicative bid for North Queensland Airports where owners JPMorgan Infrastructure Partners and Macquarie-run The Infrastructure Fund are selling 100 per cent via Macquarie Capital in the fourth airport deal in the past 12 months SaveLog in or Subscribe to save articleShareCopy link Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe. Follow the topics, people and companies that matter to you. https://www.mackay.health.qld.gov.au/about-us/news/world-first-diabetes-study-puts-the-region-in-research-spotlight Mackay could become a diabetes research hub with the potential to help accelerate treatment breakthroughs and enable greater access to life-changing technology for sufferers This is the goal of Mackay HHS endocrinologist Dr Harshal Deshmukh who has secured funding to conduct a world-first study focussed on type 2 diabetes and Diabetic Foot Disease (DFD) which could transform lives reduce complications and improve treatment options which investigates technology to track blood sugar and how it can benefit wound healing was critical to stemming a coming “tsunami of diabetic foot disease” The Mackay researcher has been awarded $50,000 in funding by the Tropical Australian Academic Health Centre (TAAHC) to conduct a 12-month study on the effects of Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) on wound healing quality of life and amputation rates in a high-risk diabetes foot clinic DFD was a common complication of diabetes which affected people with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes and is defined as infection ulceration and soft tissue destruction of the foot The increasing incidence and its propensity for recurrence cause a substantial burden to the healthcare system “I am seeing three to four patients with diabetic foot disease every week here in our high-risk clinic at Mackay Base Hospital,” Dr Deshmukh said “The five-year mortality rate for patients with diabetic foot is comparable to or worse than many forms of cancer “This research will focus investigations on patients with type 2 diabetes and diabetic foot they have poorly controlled diabetes management and require intensive glucose management.” Dr Deshmukh said the 12-month research project would provide data on glycaemic control in type 2 patients and its correlation to healing diabetic foot ulcers to prevent limb amputations and prolong life expectancy Limb amputation was 15 times more common in people with diabetes Trials using the CGM device would track patient’s blood sugar levels across the day providing researchers with data to inform treatment options The CGMs would be used for a three to six-month period across 40 patients to test blood sugar levels in a 24-hour period “Having more data means we can provide evidence on how this technology can improve health outcomes for people with type 2 diabetes complications and extended hospitalisations,” he said “This is the first study of CGMS in people living with type 2 diabetes and having a foot ulcer and if we see a good result we can do another much bigger study with a much larger sample across multiple centres to get further evidence it works which may actually help get it on the PBS “There’s been a lot of research done on CGMs and their benefit with type 1 diabetes but no research has been done on if they can assist with wound healing in diabetic foot anywhere in the world,” Dr Deshmukh said CGMs are currently not subsidised for type 2 diabetes His research team would include Mackay HHS diabetic nurse educators the Mackay Institute of Research and Innovation (MIRI) and staff from Together Strong Connected Care a community-based program designed to improve lifestyle choices and support First Nations people in the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes Dr Deshmukh said he hoped the research would pave the way for patients with type 2 having subsidised access to CGMs and ultimately change how diabetic foot disease was treated https://www.mackay.health.qld.gov.au/about-us/news/theatre-team-focus-on-safe-and-efficient-care-for-women A surgical team at Mackay Base Hospital (MBH) has been reaping the benefits of a professional connection forged in Edinburgh almost 15 years ago formerly of Edinburgh and now the Director of Gynaecology at Gold Coast University Hospital had a major influence on the career path of Obstetrics & Gynaecology specialist Dr Wojciech Szubert who joined the MBH Women’s Health Unit twelve months ago the former colleagues were scrubbed up and in theatre together again in Mackay as Dr Walker provided training in endoscopic surgery techniques “This is a journey for our department,” Dr Szubert said most of the hysterectomies were done by open surgery “Two of my colleagues started upskilling about a year ago guided by a consultant visiting from the Sunshine Coast “And then I joined the team in Mackay in December last year; laparoscopic surgery is what I am trained to do.” Dr Szubert explained that most hysterectomies and other gynaecological operations can be performed through keyhole surgery “Within one year we have shifted from open surgery to having the majority of the hysterectomies performed through keyhole surgery,” he said “The next step is improving the efficiency of the entire team they can safely get discharged home quicker “We have reduced down from a three-day hospital stay for open surgery to having the patients go home the next morning.” Dr Szubert is hoping for further improvements so that selected patients may be able to go home the same day and the training provided by Dr Walker supports increasing efficiency and patient safety Dr Walker runs clinical immersion courses for theatre teams at the Gold Coast four times a year scrub scout and recovery nurse,” Dr Walker said “And what we’ve done here in Mackay is in reverse “It’s basically just me helping Wojciech to allow the department here to see what is the norm at the Gold Coast University Hospital in endoscopic surgery.” Dr Walker explained that the specialist medical equipment company Medtronic support him to conduct the clinical immersion courses and they also sponsored the collaboration in Mackay The two-day training experience has been a great success “I think the entire team – anaesthetics gynaecology and nursing – has been absolutely excited to see that we can improve efficiency without any cost,” Dr Szubert said “Everyone is very keen to collaborate to advance the quality of the care we provide and make surgical treatments less invasive and safer.” Dr Szubert is also focused on sharing knowledge and experience “Last year we had two consultants who were at the beginning of the journey with performing laparoscopic (keyhole) hysterectomies Now there’s three of us and we’re training two more consultants We have also trained two registrars to become independent in laparoscopic hysterectomy.” https://www.mackay.health.qld.gov.au/about-us/news/care-and-comfort-a-pressing-issue-for-linen-services-team are delivered to and collected from wards and theatres across Mackay Base Hospital A thorough and efficient laundry process is vital to prevention and containment of hospital infection but also contributes to the delivery of care This week we celebrate Operational Services Recognition Week (7 to 11 October) acknowledging the important work done by operational staff across the Mackay HHS Sharon Shakespeare has been part of the linen services team for 22 years; they work seven days a week to provide daily hospital linen and laundering services for the 318-bed hospital Her day begins at 6am with the packing of trolleys and delivery of clean linen while her colleagues collect bagged dirty linen from wards and begin the process of sorting “Every day about 16 or 17 trolleys of clean linen are delivered to the wards each with about 100kg of linen in each,” Sharon said “One trolley can contain about 60 sheets whatever the requirements of each ward are and there’s also often scrubs worn by our theatre teams and gowns by the patients.” “They are very heavy so we use the tugs to pull the trolleys pushing and pulling involved in both the delivery and collection of linen.” After foul linen from the wards is collected and brought to the ‘dirty’ side of the laundry the tubs are loaded onto a conveyor where the linen is sorted by six people with gloved hands; heavily soiled items and infectious bags are separated as well as scrubs and theatre linen the linen is placed into 50kg batch loaders and onto a conveyor belt for a trip to the washing machine where it is thoroughly cleaned An automated stacker lifts the clean laundry into the dryers stacked onto trolleys and taken to the storeroom ready for delivery “The blankets are all fully dried and the sheets are pinned on the folding machine while still damp where they are stretched ironed dry and folded; it is all done in just a couple of minutes,” Sharon said The linen was sanitized according to the highest standards to ensure the best possible healing environment for every patient Technology in the laundry was an absolute blessing – it had made the work a lot easier “There’s a lot less manual handling nowadays but teamwork is still really very important in the laundry,” she said “We all do a variety of duties every day which keeps it interesting and you don’t do the same job for longer than one hour “I enjoy it all and I’m pretty good at it all including washing The process-driven environment and quick turnaround times were very satisfying There were many long-term staff in the laundry and Sharon said she really enjoyed the team camaraderie as well as training new staff “It’s a great team who work very well together and quite satisfying to know that our work is helping our staff care for our patients and also making their stay in hospital more comfortable,” she said Before purchasing tickets, please read the Terms & Conditions. Performing all her hits in a full two-hour show is a force of nature and has the pedal down to the floor receiving the best reviews of her entire career And she is heading to MACKAY for one only special show at the Mackay Entertainment Centre powerhouse vocals and band Suzi is the ultimate rocker who has perfected her craft over six decades of performing with enough charisma to light up a city she is truly the Queen of Rock and Roll Please note – No professional cameras or video Age Restriction: No children under 2 years old - no babes in arms Our boxes are available to pre-order online and limited boxes will be available to purchase pre-show Trio of Dips Food Box (serves one) $12.50 Enjoy house made dips served with naan bread and grissini.Antipasto Food Box (serves one) $19.00 A selection of assorted cheeses water crackers and seasonal fresh and dried fruits Pre-order cut-off:Boxes only available to pre-order up to 10am the day prior to event.  If event is on a weekend pre-orders close at 10am the Friday prior Buy at the event:Limited boxes will be available to purchase at the event from the retail café until sold out Collection at the event: Boxes will be available for collection from the retail café 60 minutes prior to event CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE Retail Café  - Join us 60 minutes prior to show and at interval (if applicable) AccessibilityMackay Entertainment & Convention Centre aims to ensure our venues and performances are welcoming and accessible. If you have any questions about access requirements please contact the Box Office before purchasing tickets Wheelchair AccessWheelchair seats/spaces are available for all events These seats/spaces can be booked by contacting our Box Office on (07) 4961 9777.All levels of the MECC carpark are fully wheelchair accessible Hearing Receivers are available in the Auditorium and a Hearing Loop is available in the Plenary Halls To access this equipment simply enquire at the Box Office prior to event Please contact the Box Office (07) 4961 9777 or visit us in person for more information Companion CardsCompanion Card holders are entitled to a complimentary companion ticket to all performances The cardholder must provide their Companion Card details when making bookings and present the valid ID card to receive their ticket/s from the Box Office please contact the box office on (07) 4961 9777 or visit us in person https://www.mackay.health.qld.gov.au/about-us/news/discharge-of-precious-prems-the-greatest-reward-of-jos-job Joanne Morganson was late into a nursing career which sees her now caring for early arrivals As a neonatal nurse at Mackay Base Hospital caring and friendly faces in the Special Care Nursery (SCN) looking after families and preterm babies 32 weeks gestation and later or babies who are very unwell Jo reminds us all that what is one of the happiest days in the lives of new parents could also be the hardest when a premature or unwell baby required special care “The parents are very grateful as they often have to leave behind their precious new arrivals,” Jo said “To see these sick and premmie babies come into the unit so acutely unwell get better and finally go home is just wonderful.” The SCN has two areas including an acute area for sick newborns who require constant monitoring and extra treatment as well as a growing area for stable ‘prems’ and those babies establishing feeding and preparing for discharge are transferred to the tertiary Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NIC) in Townsville they can be transferred back to Mackay for ongoing care and to the prepare them to go home Babies born under 36 weeks gestation were also admitted to the special care nursery for at least 24 hours for monitoring as were those who required antibiotics after birth Jo was in her 40s when she started her Diploma of Nursing and began working as an enrolled nurse at Resthaven Retirement Home She then completed a Bachelor of Nursing and worked for two years on F2 at Mackay Base Hospital before transferring to SCN for the last four years Her mother was a nurse for 54 years and trained at the Mackay Base Hospital her sister is a nurse practitioner in the NICU in Townsville Jo’s grandson Maverick was born prematurely in December 2021 at 29 weeks and was a patient of the Townsville NICU He was actually cared for by his great aunt (Jo’s sister) Jo said she had always planned a career in healthcare and had intended to do her hospital training at the Royal Brisbane when she was 16 She delayed it back then to take a job in retail When her youngest daughter Hannah finally went to university “she said ‘it’s your turn now mum’  and applied to QTAC for me” “It’s honestly a very rewarding and lovely career and I get a deal of satisfaction working with my SCN colleagues families and the newborns,” Jo said.