I work with children battling cancer. The job is incredibly rewarding, but also emotionally devastating.

The work is a constant balancing act of delivering life- saving care, managing the workload and stress, and trying to preserve my own well-being along the way. I value the privilege of working with sick children and their families during the toughest time of their lives.

The emotional toll nursing takes is incalculable. It is devastating to see that a child has relapsed or has passed away, but that is the daily reality of my work.

I often feel burnt out and tired, and this feeling is compounded by the knowledge that my empathy and dedication to the nursing profession are being exploited because I am not compensated fairly for what I do.

I have seen many of my colleagues leave the profession entirely or migrate to other states where conditions and pay are more reasonable.

Why should nurses and midwives be forced to choose between fair pay and safe staffing levels?

We are worth the investment; the (government) knows it, and the community knows it, too. But this government continues to refuse to sit down and resolve our claim with us directly. And I, for one, am sick of the cowardice of our elected representatives on Macquarie Street.

Charley Hirst, Registered Nurse, Sydney Children’s Hospital