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NewsMeet the oldest Air Ambulance Nurse in Australia
Meet the oldest Air Ambulance Nurse in Australia

Meet the oldest Air Ambulance Nurse in Australia

Maureen Roberts has many career highlights to share from her 32 years as Australia’s longest serving air ambulance nurse.

In a recent interview on Macquarie Media, Maureen told the story of the pilot of her aircraft passing out at the controls and how she calmly popped his oxygen mask on and brought him around enough to land the plane. And you thought your job had challenges!

Maureen began her career in the Riverina and became interested in the Air Ambulance are speaking to a fellow nurse from the service. She started her career in Albury but is now based at Mascot, near Sydney.

Another memorable moment of her career involved a premature baby in the skies over the Hunter Valley in NSW. The Air Ambulance needed to land but a FA18 Hornet on “critical fuel” took precedence. Maureen remembers saying to the Air Ambulance pilot “the fighter pilot can eject if he needs to but we can’t, we need to land”!

One of the wonderful things about her job, Maureen told us, is that every day is a different experience depending on the patients you're transporting.

“Sometimes you're taking people home to die and they know they're going to die and they have the most amazing conversations with you."

Hear the full interview with Maureen Roberts here

Originally posted on .

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Christine
Christine from NSW commented:

I feel that the government should stop selling off our country, stop privatising, save government (public service) jobs, create more jobs, how are the unemployed going to get work if there are so little jobs and a lot of companies don't train their employers anymore? Cost of living is high, rural wages are not the same as the cities and GST increases everything we purchase, including bills, car repairs etc. Power is way too high and it will not go down if the carbon tax goes. As for drivers over 85 I think testing would be good but it's the young ones that think they are 10ft tall and bullet proof and think the "P" stands for professional . I drive 50minutes eachway for work on semi rural roads (speed limit 80) and without fail I encounter tail gaters , morons who overtake on bends and double lines, they can kill themselves if they like but don't put other peoples lives at risk through their own stupidity. Wish there were more unmarked police cars about! 

Jean
Jean from QLD commented:

People power to gain a fair go price wise on electricity, insurance and a better health system. Here needs more to be done for the elderly in retirement and nursing homes. 

Bruce
Bruce from QLD commented:

Mobile Phones. Am I the one who only needs/wants a mobile telephone? I don't want a camera, email, internet access and in fact I don't want SMS. With my 'Phone only' mobile, I want improved coverage. We are 'part time' grey nomads and just want to talk with the family. We cannot justify the cost of a satellite phone. Coverage away from capital cities and major centres coverage is almost non existent. To say 'we cover 97% of Australians' is at best misleading, when they cover less than 4% of Australia. 

Angela
Angela from NSW commented:

Given the bad driving from all age groups I think that if over 85s have to have regular test then it should be across the board. Many younger people are unsuitable for example due to drug/alcohol use and mental illness 

Pamela
Pamela from NSW replied to Angela:

Look at the statistics! WHAT is the age group who has the most accidents, incidents and fatalities ont he road? It is NOT the 65 years and up.. nor the 85 year olds. 

Jeff
Jeff from NSW commented:

Both my wife and I have received phone calls from Coles Insurance today - a couple of questions come to mind. How did they get our phone numbers and where and when was permission given for members of the club to be harassed to buy products from companies that make offers to members. We will not continue as members if personal information is freely made available to any vendor who offers discounts. This is not in the spirit of the buying group where numbers would assist getting exposure to a discreet audience. I will be resigning unless I get a satisfactory response. 

Jeff
Jeff from NSW replied to Jeff:

After posting an enquiry to 'Fiftyup' re the passing onto other parties personal phone numbers I have had no response or even acknowledgement from them - I'm out as this is poor security. Suggest other think about their privacy as the group expands to other providers?? 

Danos
Danos from VIC commented:

Driving tests for the over 80 is not unfair. I have known and seen a lot of people - both women and men - that they can hardly walk and they drive!!! I wonder what so of reaction they would have in case of an emergency., The sad thing is that many at the age and even younger don't understand whether they are fit to drive or not. It is unfair to those that they would accidentally injure or kill. Doctors are not always obeyed if they suggest to one of their patients that they should not drive. A test is the most efficient way. I personally wouldn't mind a test. I am not 80 yet, but I will stop driving the moment I don't feel fit enough to do so. And I not soft on myself, I am always the first to judge my actions. Moreover I told my children that the moment they feel I am not fit to drive and for some reason my judgement is affected, then they should take appropriate measures to stop me from driving. 

George
George from NSW commented:

Get a better deal on Mobile Phones. The young people are mostly responsible for the phone companies putting up prices or cutting services on mobile plans because Kids gas bag on their mobile most of the day. I am currently with Optus and this month my contract is over so, I own the phone but, it seems that the plans and services are more tailored to YOUNGER people. I believe it is about time that Optus, Telstra and others started adding plans for seniors, I am lucky to use $15.00 a month on calls. I think that mobiles are MORE important to seniors anyway, easy to carry around and easier to use in an emergency. 

Dennis
Dennis from WA commented:

The basic services should always remain in the public domain and should never, never be privatised. When private companies operate these services, I repeat SERVICES, they are required to provide a profit for their owners. Revoke all private and semi private service contracts immediately. The infrastructure was bought by taxpayers money and ownership needs to return to the public (government. Have we learned nothing from the USA experience? there most breadline residents cannot afford to heat/cool their residences and are not able to afford the services to allow them to cook at home. Not for me! 

Someone
Someone from QLD commented:

Every one is winging about the rising cost of electricity, check your bill, the main offender is the government service fee. l pay $136.00 a quarter, just for the service fee, up from $90.00 the last quarter, imagine the next one!!!!! 

Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

If you are part of the Solar buy back scheme you are trapped with your electricity company. I know some people who get 60 cents KLW buy back and I get 28 cents but no other company offers more than 20cents that is the limit now. So even though I get an electricity bill of around 1500.00 per month no company will match my buy back and beat my current bill buy $100. 

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