How I Became - a nurse w/ Maaike Kiri de Goede

Welcome to the ‘How I Became’ series where Billie talks to girls across New Zealand who are killing it in their chosen career and see how they got there!

Trying to decide what you ‘want to be when you grow up’ is hard enough as it is and your careers counsellor probably won’t have all the answers you need.

HIB aims to give you a bit of insight into different career paths and what it takes to get there.

Name: Maaike Kiri de Goede

Age: 24

Job title: Registered Nurse

Current job: Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit Nurse

Firstly, what drew you to nursing?

I did not really enjoy high school, I struggled finding subjects that I enjoyed. But I loved being practical with my hands and I am a massive talker. When I was in year 12 I went on a school trip to visit and volunteer in the National Hospital in Samoa which really ignited my passion to help.

What subjects did you take in high school that you think helped?

Bio and Statistics. Also! Do at least one ‘fun’ subject at school, mine was Photography! Even though it wasn’t relevant to my university degree, it definitely made going to school more enjoyable.

What did your pathway towards starting your career look like?

Before graduating with the bachelors, every nursing student must do a 6-8 week pre-registration placement (Pre-Reg for short). I did mine with my best friend, in the same ICU. I was lucky to be offered a job at the unit I did my Pre-Reg at after graduation (so was my best friend!). Once we were offered jobs we had an additional 3 months of ICU specific learning during our New Grad year. This meant we were allowed to look after patients under different levels of supervision depending on how far through our new grad orientation we were.

There is no harm in applying in any job, being ‘smart’ is not the be all and end all in ICU. Being helpful, safe and willing to learn will get you so far in life.

What did you study/where/how long did it take?

I attended the University of Auckland from 2016-2019. I graduated with a Bachelors in Nursing which is a three year long degree. I recommend finding a university that suits your needs, as each university offers their own unique programmes.

What’s the best thing about your job?

Seeing people progress to the ward after long admissions. It’s often easy to focus on all the patients we lose, but for the majority of the time people get to go home in a better condition than when they were admitted. Seeing them come back weeks or months later to the ward to say hello, sometimes they are completely unrecognisable!

What’s the hardest part?

Being the last person at the bedside when people pass away. Somedays it's almost impossible to walk away from the job and it follows you home.

What does an average day look like for you?

Every shift is so different from the last. Not only do we look after planned (elective) heart surgeries, we also nurse people who have unexpected or acute presentations to the hospital. This often means that half way through the day your shift plan will change dramatically depending on what comes through the door.

But some of the core nursing activities include:

• Medication administration

• Wound dressings

• Hygiene cares

• Educating patients and their families around their condition

• Physical therapy and rehabilitation

What advice would you give to those looking to follow a similar career path?

Don’t be afraid of the 12 hour long shifts! I only work 3 days a week and have 4 days off most weekends. Also they are super flexible if you want to reduce your hours. Also the ability to up-skill is amazing, I have learnt so many extra abilities that I did not have before starting the job. In ICU you really get to experience the limits the human body can be pushed and brought back to.

What are the biggest challenges in your opinion to getting into nursing?

Dealing with the imposter syndrome that follows you into the ICU environment. Bullying is unfortunately still really rife and the job can be very demanding and exhausting. However, it is so rewarding and the skills you learn in ICU are second to none.

What kind of skills does your job require?

Great communication skills, this does not only apply to talking to families and patients but also with the wider medical team.

The ability to plan a realistic day and goals that you want to achieve in the shift.

Lots and lots of multitasking (I cannot stress the lots enough).

What part of your job gives you the most satisfaction?

A clean and well organised bed space at work. Everything has to be set up in a way that is easily accessible and the sheets have to have absolutely no creases in it. If you don’t express OCD qualities before starting the job, after being there for 6 months everyone develops the ICU OCD.

What has been an absolute highlight of your career?

Being nominated for the youngest Māori Nurse of the Year in my district health board’s history.

What’s an unexpected element to your job that people don’t realise you have to do?

Emergency chest openings! Sometimes we are required to operate at the bedside if we are not able to get to the theatre in time. This is a critical and life saving procedure that we try to avoid doing unless we are absolutely required too.

Describe your job in three words

Stimulating, Rewarding, Dynamic