Leah Loves Nursing In Harden

IMAGE: Harden nurse, Leah Whitehead loves her town and the community she cares for.

She spent more than two decades looking after women with high-risk pregnancies at the Royal Hospital for Women, and loved her job and the challenges she faced every day, but eight years ago registered nurse and midwife, Leah Whitehead returned to Harden to care for her ill parents.

Nearly a decade on she has no regrets and doesn’t envision returning to Sydney life.

Despite the smaller hospital, Leah Whitehead said the quality of care for her patients is exemplary. Not only do they get the best quality care, whether it’s face-to-face or via virtual services - at Harden Hospital there is something extra special on offer.

“The patients in Harden have their own room with their own bathroom, fresh cooked food with fruit and veggies grown on site,” Ms Whitehead said.

“It’s one of the many benefits patients receive in a regional hospital. We are a smaller facility, but we can offer this kind of care and service to our patients, that may not be available in the bigger, busier hospitals.”

Ninety per cent of the hospital’s food is cooked on-site, but Ms Whitehead was quick to add that was an add-on to the excellent patient care they provided.

The Murrumburrah-Harden Health Service has hospital care beds and residential aged care beds.

It also has a 24-hour Emergency Department, which is equipped with telehealth cameras to connect the team in Harden with specialists through the Critical Care Advisory Service.

A range of community nursing and allied health services are also available.

“Living and working in a regional hospital like Harden gives me the best work-life balance,” Ms Whitehead said.

“In fact, we as a community are just like one big family. There really is no better place to be.”