Meet Dianne Lee, a Registered Nurse, NMS phone counsellor and now, an author

Before joining NMS in 2017, Diane already was incredibly experienced, having completed further education at Deakin University, where she earnt an Advanced Diploma in Psychology, a BA, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology and registration as Psychologist since 1999. 

She initially began her hospital training in the 70s at the Royal Children’s in Melbourne, and after four years, transitioned to Royal Park Hospital in Parkville to study Psychiatric Nursing.

She later worked as a private psychologist at The Melbourne Clinic and as a NUM at The Northside Clinic. After a brief stint with the General Nursing Agency in London in 1981, she returned to Australia and joined St Vincent's Hospital, where she remained until 1985.

She then spent 11 years as a clinical educator for nursing students at Austin Hospital, also working as an ANUM in the Adolescent Psychiatric Unit. Her longest tenure was at Thomas Embling Forensic Hospital, where she worked for 15 years.

To top it all off, she has also written a fascinating book — Shelter from the storm.

I wrote a diary at primary school. Writing down my feelings became a passion. At thirteen, I began a novel. Two chapters in, my younger siblings found it. They read sentences aloud and laughed in a mocking tone. I didn't blame them. The writing was terrible - flowery with too many adjectives. I stopped writing fiction after that experience, but my diary continued.

In 2010, a friend told me about a four-week course at Victoria University called “Write a novel in a month”.

My intention was to write a book of fiction, but real people and events came forward.

The manuscript sat there until I turned 70 in late 2023. My partner encouraged me to publish.

I joined in March 2017, when the service began. Hard to believe it's almost 8 years! Talking with nurses, midwives and students is a privilege and a constant reminder of how vital and challenging this career is. It's 52+ years since I joined the profession.

1. Journalling. After a challenging shift, I allow 15 minutes to express my thoughts and feelings. After that's done, I let the day go. The present moment takes over. Walking, reading, socialising, mindfulness, music.
2. Adequate sleep is paramount for me - at least 7 hours to feel fully grounded. To assist, I listen to soothing music or guided imagery.
3. Hydration. At least 2 litres of water a day.

Dianne was kind enough to allow us to publish the excerpt below from her book, Shelter from the Storm. It beautifully captures the role nurses can play in the lives of the people they care for.

Dance Me To The End Of Love

During 1981, I worked as a general nurse in England. The Agency introduced me to hospitals in London, and home care in the outer boroughs. Working in a range of places across a large city is fascinating but eventually exhausting. When a position came up in a private apartment in central London, I jumped at it. My client, Edna, was 96 and needed assistance to get out of bed. She was a ‘falls risk’ and had been hospitalised a few times with various fractures and concussion. Her husband, George, had died more than a decade earlier. Edna’s two sons decided to employ three nurses a day to assist her with activities of daily living. Edna was reluctant to move into a nursing home.

I arrived at 9 p.m. and left after 7 a.m. six nights a week. One of Edna’s sons stayed over on the seventh night. Edna was usually in bed when I arrived, watching TV. We would chat about her life in England, her husband, sons, grandchildren and great grandchildren. I looked through every photo album, multiple times, which triggered stories about the past. Edna was a reserved woman who spoke mainly about others and rarely about herself. She had worked in a haberdashery store, and previously enjoyed making clothes for anyone who asked.

Edna had a few health issues including angina and asthma. After we had chatted for an hour or so, Edna would settle down for the night with nocte medication, hot chocolate, and a trip to the bathroom. The nights were quiet. Occasionally Edna would ring her bedside bell and I would assist her to the toilet and refill her water glass. Edna’s cat, Sandie, spent the night on the couch with me, the bed with Edna, or running around in crazy circles at 3 a.m. The nights passed slowly.

During the end of my fourth week, Edna was very excited when I arrived. It was the night of the Eurovision song contest, and she wanted us to watch the show together. The contest had already started. As I’d never seen the program before, it was engaging and quite strange. The setting was Dublin, which I’d recently visited. Edna had never been to Ireland, so we talked about the country and the people. The winner of Eurovision that year was an English group called Bucks Fizz. They sang a catchy tune called Making Your Mind Up. I remember them dancing, smiling and looking wholesome. I also remember the two males smoothly and deftly removing their female co-singer’s long skirts to reveal minis during the song!

Edna enjoyed the program and wanted to stay up singing a couple of her favourite songs. She seemed quite different, more animated and carefree. She talked about dancing with George during their early years together. George played piano and sang. She recalled many happy times and difficult, sad times during both world wars. After a couple of hours of reminiscing, Edna began to cry. I held her hand and she told me that she didn’t want to keep going. ‘I’ve had enough now. I want to go to George and my parents and sisters. I don’t need this anymore. It’s time to go.’ I assessed whether Edna was depressed but there was no evidence of that. She had no plan to harm herself. It was as if she was being drawn to the other side by memories and nostalgia.

We talked a lot about death and Edna’s beliefs. She didn’t understand the concept of God but felt that the spirits of people you loved would be there to meet your soul. Edna was a little afraid of death, ‘It’s a mystery. How will it happen? I hope I go peacefully. No more hospitals, fuss or pain.’ Edna asked for a hug which she’d never done before. It was long and full. I wished her a pleasant sleep and a peaceful transition when the time came. She smiled and nodded. Edna didn’t rouse during the night and was still asleep when I left the following morning. I told the day nurse that Edna had had a late night and was reflecting on themes of life and death.

As Sunday was my night off, I only slept until lunchtime. I awoke thinking of Edna and smiled at the memory of Saturday night. I felt peaceful.

When the call came around 7.30 p.m., I wasn’t surprised. Edna’s two sons and a few grandchildren had visited for lunch. At about 4 p.m., Edna hugged and kissed them all, saying she needed a nap before dinner. When the nurse checked at 6 p.m., Edna had passed away peacefully in her sleep. Her son thanked me and said that Edna had left an envelope with a thank you card and a photo of George playing the piano with Edna by his side.

For free and confidential support by nurses and midwives, for nurses and midwives, call Nurse and Midwife Support on 1800 667 877.

Check out Edition 24 of our newsletter, Career pathways for nurses and midwives