Alumni Magazine Issue 6

Optimism and perspective become key motivators during COVID crisis Tracey Papa Bachelor of Nursing Class of 2008 As COVID-19 cases surged, so did the workload of healthcare professionals in NSW, and Nursing alumna Tracey Papa knew she needed to prioritise the wellbeing of her staff. Tracey leads three different teams as Nurse Unit Manager of South Eastern Sydney District’s Public Health Unit, including the Infectious Diseases team. She never imagined that she would be on the frontline during a global crisis, leading a team tasked with contact tracing and providing support for COVID-19 positive patients. Tracey has taken these new challenges in her stride; as a leader in her industry she strives to maintain a sense of normalcy amongst the chaos. “I am generally a positive, lighthearted person so I tend to make jokes to keep everyone upbeat and optimistic,” she says. “I also commend my staff for big and small accomplishments to keep them focussed on the ‘ bigger picture’.” Tracey aims to maintain positivity through transparent communication with her colleagues. “It is important we focus on pastoral care, making sure staff are having breaks and going home on time when possible,” she says. “We also partner new staff together so they can support each other in a new environment and learn through the process together.” Tracey Papa (Photographer: Christian Gilles, courtesy of The Daily Telegraph). Our alumni on the frontline Alumni Magazine – Page 10