My Story: Elisabeth

Elisabeth trained as a chef in Switzerland — not entirely by choice. As a young woman, she was told she'd need to learn to cook to be a homemaker. During her training, she was hospitalised twice. Watching the nurses work, she knew immediately that's what she wanted to do.

She retrained as a nurse, worked in the geriatric sector in Switzerland, immigrated to New Zealand in 1999, re-registered locally, and eventually found her way to Medcall — where she stayed for seven and a half years before retiring, with 45 years of nursing behind her.

Why aged care?

“I've always been happy to look after old folks, and I've always felt like it came naturally to me.”

What did you enjoy about Medcall?

“I liked being able to say no to certain shifts or facilities — the freedom appealed to me. I enjoyed meeting the patients; there have been many I personally connected with. And Medcall is made up of an awesome bunch of people. Very friendly.”

Did you ever look back and wish you'd stayed a chef?

“No. Never thought twice about it.”

Any advice for those thinking about aged care?

“Young people need to follow their hearts — they'll know if nursing is right for them. It's not for everybody, and it can be hard work physically and mentally. But if it's what you're passionate about, it's worth it.”

Ngā mihi nui, Elisabeth.