Today, we celebrate our nurses on International Nurses Day 2026. Each year on 12 May, this special day shines a light on the compassion, courage and commitment nurses bring to their work, inspired by the legacy of Florence Nightingale.
This year’s theme, Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives, underscores the importance of supporting and empowering nurses to strengthen our healthcare system, especially as they navigate workforce shortages, increasing care demands, and the impacts of conflict and climate change.
At Catholic Healthcare, we are proud to recognise our exceptional nurses across all our services: residential care, the community and corporate roles. Every day, they support older and vulnerable people, delivering clinical care alongside reassurance and companionship, and stepping in when family cannot be there.
Meet the nurses who deliver our care and hear what inspires them, below:
Nursing in the community
Jessica Saayman – Clinical Nurse Team Leader
A Clinical Nurse Team Lead, Jessica Saayman, is responsible for managing the team of community nurses statewide. For Jessica, a strong passion for working in the community allows her to focus on enablement and empowerment, supporting clients to live safely and independently in their own homes, for long as possible.
Jessica says of her role: ‘Working in the community lets us deliver personalised, holistic care while understanding people’s daily lives and support networks. We partner with clients to build capacity, maintain function and promote dignity, so they can live safely and independently at home for as long as possible. To me, nursing is grounded in strong clinical knowledge, accountability and lifelong learning, and sustained by compassion and purpose. In aged care, compassion, integrity and courage guide us to advocate ethically and provide respectful, dignified care every day.’
Nursing within Residential Care
Jacqui Nissen – Home Manager, Holy Cross Kincumber
Newly appointed Home Manager at Holy Cross Kincumber, Jacqui Nissen chose residential care to make a genuine difference at an important stage of life. She is motivated by the relationships she builds with residents and families, and by the opportunity to lead care that is compassionate, respectful and truly centred on the individual.
Jacqui say of her role: ‘I feel I make a difference by creating a safe, caring environment where residents feel seen, heard and valued, whether that’s through supporting their care, listening to their stories, or reassuring families. For me, nursing is grounded in skill, knowledge and accountability, but is driven by compassion and genuine care. Having spent many years nursing in hospitals, including intensive care, I ultimately chose aged care because it allows me to bring comfort, dignity and calm to people at their most vulnerable. The trust residents and families place in us, and the small, meaningful moments of connection, are what keeps me motivated every day.
John Veloso – Registered Nurse, Jemalong Residential Village, Forbes
A Registered Nurse within residential care, John Veloso’s experience in aged care nursing started in New Zealand and continued when he moved to Australia. This position fulfils a deep purpose in his life…to care!
John says of his role: ‘For me, nursing is both a profession and a calling. I initially studied nursing to build a better life overseas, but once I began working in hospitals, I realised how deeply I care for patients, feeling their pain when they are unwell and joy when they recover. When I moved into aged care in New Zealand, I truly found my passion. I love helping older people feel comfortable, dignified and at peace in the final years, months and days of their lives, and it means so much when families trust me with their loved ones. I am grateful for the opportunities God has given me in Australia and in Catholic Healthcare, and caring for others is my way of giving back. Those experiences, along with my journey from nursing studies in the Philippines to working in New Zealand and now Australia, guide me every day. I am truly proud to be called a nurse.’
Sam Bhatta – Residential Manager, Emmaus Village, Kemps Creek
A Residential Manager, Sam Bhatta, started her career journey as a Personal Care Assistant in aged care. From early on, Sam had a passion to rise through the ranks to become a Registered Nurse, and then a Care Manager at St John’s Villa, before progressing to her current role.
Sam says of her role: ‘I began my career with Catholic Healthcare in July 2023 as a Care Manager at St John’s Villa, following earlier roles as a Personal Care Assistant (PCA) and Registered Nurse, and was driven by a strong desire to keep progressing. As a Care Manager, I oversaw clinical care, compliance and employee support, and frequently stepped into the Residential Manager role, gaining valuable insight into the breadth and demands of the position. Each role has prepared me for the next, grounding my leadership in resident care, clinical expertise and operational responsibility, and allowing me to make a meaningful difference for residents, but also in shaping the culture and success of the home.
Harsh Harsh - Care Manager, Eastern Heights
A Care Manager, Harsh Harsh, started my nursing career with another organisation before joining Catholic Healthcare. My previous experience helped me develop my clinical knowledge, communication skills, and confidence as a nurse. Since joining Catholic Healthcare, I have continued to grow professionally and strengthen my passion for aged care nursing through working closely with residents, families, and the wider care team.
Harsh says of his role: 'Although I have not worked in community nursing, I believe residential care provides a unique opportunity to work closely with residents in a more routine environment, where we can really get to know their preferences, and individual care needs. It is very rewarding to be able to support residents not only clinically, but also emotionally and socially every day. Sometimes even small actions, like listening to a resident, comforting them when they are anxious, or helping them maintain their dignity and independence, can have a big impact. I also work closely with families and the care team to ensure residents receive safe, respectful, and high-quality care. Seeing residents feel comfortable, valued, and supported gives me a strong sense of purpose in my role.
Corporate Support Office
Linda Soars – Program Manager, Reform
As Program Manager for Aged Care Reform at Catholic Healthcare, Linda Soars, career journey saw her shift from acute health innovation into aged care to help drive reform, an area she has been passionate about since the Royal Commission.
Linda says of her role: ‘I make a difference every day by translating complex legal and regulatory requirements into clear, manageable projects and programs that support teams across the organisation. Being part of large-scale initiatives such as Support at Home has been a rewarding group effort, and I value the opportunity to contribute to shared knowledge and continuous improvement. Nursing has been both my profession and my passion for nearly 40 years, spanning many areas of healthcare, but aged care is where I always find myself returning. It is truly my calling. What empowers me each day, even in the face of sickness, death and frailty, is the balance and perspective I gain from the teams at Catholic Healthcare, particularly my colleagues in Practice, Quality and Reform, who form a strong foundation for tackling complex challenges. I began my career with hospital-based general training and have since completed my degrees and master’s qualifications alongside professional certifications, including the NSW Government Leadership Program and the Company Directors Course. Throughout my career, the values of compassion, integrity and courage have remained central to nursing, especially in aged care, as they help guide people and their families forward, give them a voice, and ensure they are supported with dignity and respect in the final phases of life.
Lara McIntyre – Senior Palliative Care Lead and Nurse Practitioner (NP)
As Senior Palliative Care Lead, Lara’s focus is to develop and deliver Catholic Healthcare’s palliative and end‑of‑life care strategy. She leads evidence‑based practice, provides expert guidance and education, and works with external partners to strengthen end‑of‑life care across all settings.
Catholic Healthcare’s only Nurse Practitioner, Lara is recognised as having one of the most senior and independent nursing roles, with master’s‑level training to diagnose, treat and manage a broad range of acute and chronic conditions. Nurse Practitioners are endorsed by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia and can prescribe medicines, order diagnostic tests, refer to specialists and provide Medicare rebates—roles that have been part of Australian healthcare for more than 24 years.
Lara says of her role: ‘I am a clinician; it is integral to who I am and the lens through which I see the world. I am privileged to view life from the ground level, so to speak, and from the corporate level, allowing me to intersect both spaces. This is my 36th year as a registered nurse. I am a third-generation nurse: my grandmother and mother were nurses before me. It’s in my blood and DNA, but my early life experiences also inspired me on this path. As a teenager, I watched my beloved grandmother die of cancer—we cared for her at home for a time until she decided to return to her home to die. Her journey profoundly impacted me, and her struggles with pain and disease, which had no treatment in the early '80s, have driven me throughout my career, that is, to advocate, to care, to show compassion, and to ensure that the last days of a person’s life have dignity, regardless of their age or where they live.
Thank you to our nurses for sharing a day-in-the-life glimpse into the work you do.
If you are passionate about a career in care, we would love to hear from you! Find out about our current opportunities available here.