Member Stories
All eyes on the rainbow scrubs
I was lucky enough to experience participating in my first Mardi Gras parade last year as part of the NSWNMA entry, and it was so humbling and emotional to be greeted by the cheers of the crowd calling out “Thank you!” to nurses and midwives, which felt amazing after two long years of COVID-19.
This year, Sydney will be hosting the international LGBTQI festival World Pride, a fabulous event that brings together members of the LGBTQI community from across the globe to celebrate.
The NSWNMA will be marching this year with our colleagues from across the country under the banner of “A Better Healthcare System for All – A Dream Worth Fighting For”. For nurses and midwives this is such an important message, as the pandemic has certainly drawn the public’s attention to the cracks and failures in our healthcare system.
As nurses and midwives, our common dream is to work for a system that treats everyone with fairness and compassion, no matter who they are or where they are from. We would also like a better healthcare system for ourselves! Imagine coming to work and not feeling overwhelmed and afraid due to your patient load? I am excited to be able to share with the public this dream of what our healthcare system could be like, as we march down Oxford Street this year.
If you are watching the Mardi Gras this year, keep an eye out for the rainbow scrubs on the NSWNMA float and give us a cheer!
Emma Gedge, Wollongong Hospital Midwife and Councillor