Grampians Health is celebrating Oxley nurse unit manager Jenny Vague for her 40 years of service.  

Starting as a student nurse at Wimmera Base Hospital in 1986, by 1989 she was working as an associate nurse unit manager in ward seven – a mixed medical surgical ward.   

When the new hospital was built, she moved to the new medical ward in Wyuna as associate nurse unit manager, where she completed her Bachelor of Nursing studies. 

In 2012, Ms Vague was appointed nurse unit manager of Oxley, sharing the role with Judy Wood until Ms Wood’s retirement last year.  

She has also held roles of Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, ANMF, representative, no-lift co-ordinator, infection control manager and the unofficial florist of the Oxley ward. 

Ms Vague worked 22 years in infection control and said she loved the proactive nature of infection control, though COVID-19 was one of her most challenging times.  

“Our team of Sally, Rache, Amy, Kate and Tara worked together to guide the community with the information we had available,” she said. 

“It felt like our work mattered.”  

Ms Vague’s career in health has also inspired her children to steer similar paths, with son Jack becoming a pharmacist and managing a Horsham pharmacy and her daughter Louisa becoming a podiatrist.  

Accepting her service award, Ms Vague said she had thoroughly enjoyed her career at Wimmera Base Hospital and had made many enduring friendships.  

“I am very blessed and honoured to have worked here for all these years,” she said.  

“I was a Willaura girl and in 1986 I had a choice to train at Royal Melbourne Hospital or Wimmera Base Hospital. I chose Horsham and was part of the last group of hospital-trained nurses at WBH.  

“I planned to give WBH three years then move to Melbourne, but I met my future husband in Horsham and we bought a house and that was that. 

“I have seen a lot of changes, not always good ones, but we keep rolling with the times and reinventing ourselves as nurses. 

“The basic doctrine remains the same, that we want to provide good care to the people in our community.  

“I am proud of my role in managing Oxley. It has been a training ground for many. 

“I felt like we have helped thousands of nurses to start their careers and move on into fields they enjoy, so we’ve done a lot to provide the community with its nursing team.”  

Grampians Health chief operating officer Ben Kelly congratulated Jenny on her commitment and outstanding contribution, noting the particularly difficult job she had heading infection control at Horsham and Dimboola during COVID-19.  

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