A Filipino nurse's Australian dream: 'Be a nurse because you love to be one'

'Since working as a nurse from 2005, there's a time I felt burnt out, but it never occurred to me to leave my nursing profession.' Source: Archie Parafina

SBS Filipino

View Podcast Series

Get the SBS Audio app

Other ways to listen

Archie Parafina dreamed of becoming a doctor when he was young, but his parents could not afford it. He chose to become a nurse instead and has never thought of changing his profession. It was indeed his gateway to Australia.

Highlights

With the pandemic that we continue to face, nurses tirelessly work and serve the community.
Oftentimes, nurses are exhausted and overworked during the peak of COVID-19.
Although nurse Archie Parafina felt burnt-out at times and challenged with mental health, he never thought of leaving nursing.

“I really felt that being a nurse is essential. It was one of the few professions that continued to work as how normally they would pre-pandemic and you cannot work from home during the pandemic," says the nurse from the Bicol region.

Despite feeling overwhelmed continuously working as a nurse and burnt-out at times, Archie Parafina never thought of quitting.

Facing challenges during the pandemic

Even before the pandemic, like many nurses, Archie Parafina had to work double shifts at times.

But the COVID-19 situation has become more challenging for many nurses, working tirelessly to cope the outbreaks of the virus.

"All other industries and professions noong nag-start ang lockdown, almost everyone went to work from home and they still can function. They can bring their work from their offices to their home," says Mr Parafina.

"Hindi kami pwedeng umuwi at dalhin sa bahay ang trabaho."

Mental health becomes a challenge for the Australian registered nurse. "Grabe 'yung naging struggle ko para sa mental health."

Mental health remains one of the biggest challenges.

"Limited lang kasi ang access for nurses to vent out."

"After a very long busy 8-12 hours shift, wearing of facemask and PPEs, you would usually just go home. Like for me, even before the pandemic, ang buhay ko lang noon, work-apartment-work," reveals Archie Parafina.

Apart from travelling to work, wearing facemasks and full PPEs for the whole shift and the other measures to prevent getting infected with COVID-19, the most challenging for many nurses is mental health. Source: Archie Parafina

'Be a nurse because you love to be one'

In 2005, Archie Parafina became a registered nurse in the Philippines. He worked in a local hospital for a year before teaching nursing.

After three years of working in his home country, he decided to work overseas. He went to Egypt and finish his two-year contract there.

After failing to apply in New Zealand, Australia became his option.

"Ang original plan ko together with my 3 other friends, ay pupunta kami ng New Zealand pero naiwan ako dahil sa English test ko na hindi ko makuha-kuha ‘yung score na kailangan para maka-diretso ng pagkuha ng bridging course para nursing doon," shares Parafina.

It was November 2011 when the native from Naga City arrived in Australia under a student visa. At first, it was difficult for him to get a job as a nurse until he got his Australian registration.

Currently, apart from working as a staff nurse at a hospital in Sydney, Archie now teaches nursing.

To his students, there are two important lessons he often shares:

"Be a nurse because you love to be one. You have to have a good heart and love this job and seeing yourself nursing and not just for the compensation.”

And in every challenge in life there is a lesson to be learned, "Every experience or milestone sa buhay is a building block towards your career goal whatever that is. Like for me, nakarating ako sa posisyon ko ngayon dahil sa lahat ng naging experiences ko.

'Rest if you must'

Despite the health and mental challenges, it is important to take care of oneself.

Though he was challenged, Archie found a way to overcome the fatigue and boredom he was facing.

"Since working as a nurse from 2005 although there was a gap, parang na-burnt out ako. Sabi ko I need a break so I thought to go to the rural area, not really to start anew but to have a break from the busy lifestyle in the city."

Archie Parafina spent 4 months in Northern Territory as a travelling nurse in the first quarter of the pandemic. Source: Archie Parafina

For him, it is a must to make sure that you like what you are doing and if you feel tired, "take some time to rest".

"If hindi ka 100% and you don’t feel like you can function as a nurse, then take some rest. Also make sure that you still love what you are doing and it’s not just for the money but for your self-fulfilment too,” advices Nurse Archie.

Consider the pandemic as an opportunity to show how important nurses are.

"I was thinking that it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience given the last pandemic happened more than 100 years ago and this current pandemic will be a part of history that future generation will learn from it and I am proud I was part of it working as a nurses," thinks Mr Parafina.