This is the case for Rochester and Elmore District Health's Melissa Seelenmyer and Natasha Collins.
The acute assistant nurse unit manager and after-hours and rural and isolated practice endorsed registered nurse are just some of the many important figures in the local community doing their part for their town.
But while she has enjoyed her job, Ms Collins didn't begin her working career as a nurse.
“I had thought about being a nurse, but I pulled out at the last minute and decided I wanted to go into hospitality instead,” she said.
“But the bug came back and I completed my training at Ballarat University and spent some time working in the city before going over to England.”
While in the UK, she found the two health systems to be very different.
“It was obviously a while ago, but talking to people I know there now, they're really struggling,” she said.
“But I know they're doing an amazing job getting through this pandemic.”
While Ms Seelenmyer has moved her way up the ranks over the years.
“Either wanted to be a nurse or a police officer and I sort of fell into nursing when a job came up" she said.
“I started as an enrolled nurse and then just grew from there.”
Both Ms Collins and Ms Seelenmyer are happy to be in Rochester despite the occasional challenges they face.
“Being in a small country town, we don't have the resources some larger hospitals do and at times that can be difficult,” Ms Seelenmyer said.
“We also don't have a doctor around 24/7, so that's also hard, but we have a great team of nurses and other healthcare workers who support each other in times of need.”
But being in a small town has its perks, according to the ladies.
“You get to meet so many amazing people both at work and out in the community,” Ms Collins said.
“You get to know them and hear so many fascinating stories while you care for them, it's great."
And although they are an important part of society every day, nurses couldn't be more valuable right now.
“The dedication we all have is so important,” Ms Collins said.
“We are all very dedicated to what we do and we certainly want to have the best outcome for the patients in the hospital and the residents, as well as the community.”
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