Ray Cook - Mental Health Nurse, Richmond Clinic

Ray Cook
Mental Health Nurse
Lismore Adult Mental Health Inpatient Unit

I was attracted to nursing because it offered excellent employment prospects, and a chance to work in profession where I could care for people.

After I graduated I spent a couple of years as a generalist community health nurse and then successfully applied for a position in the acute care mental health facility in Lismore-the former Richmond Clinic, I now work in the new Lismore Adult Mental Health Inpatient Unit. During my nursing training I was drawn to mental health because it offered opportunities to use my personal experience and skills to help others in a very special way.

As teenager I was very reflective, and interested in what made people tick, and that curiosity underpins my interest in listening to people's stories. This interest matches well with many aspects of my work supporting mentally ill people to feel safe, heard and respected.

My community health experience has been very helpful in the mental health nursing environment because it made me aware that when we see people in our acute care setting-that is just a very small window into their lives. I try to see their lives holistically, to see beyond the place where we meet when they are often so ill. The challenges my patients deal with in their lives are huge, they just don"t compare in any way to what others might think are hard knocks in their lives.

I enjoy many aspects of my work like the fact that it is constantly changing and there are so many opportunities for learning and growth. I really enjoy the supportive team atmosphere where all are respected and valued, and where we share a genuine commitment to doing the best we can for our patients.

My job isn’t the most important thing in my life; family and surfing hold top positions, but the job allows me the  flexibility to spend weekends with my daughter and the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of people who really need it.