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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

Tags: FiftyUp Club
Last updated by Someone on

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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Nigel
Nigel from SA commented:

The pension needs to be double for non home owners or owners who bought over 10 years ago, A partnered 70 year old male gets $740 per 2 weeks and his wife who can't work but is still 60 only gets $468.00 combined these 2 amounts are $1208 thats $604 each week. Just rent and electric take care of $535. thats $69 to cover everything else. No one can live on that in Australia. 

Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

I would like to the energy suppliers jump on board and offer reductions in gas and electricity bills. 

Nigel
Nigel from SA commented:

on driving a doctor should not have the say over 75 should have a free 15 minute drive test. 

Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

If the number of accidents caused by drivers over 85 is greater in percentage terms than the accidents caused by those below 85, then there may be a case for testing yearly. Not otherwise. It is just easy to attribue accidents over 85 to age, and lump all older drivers into one category and demonise them , when statistically they are far safer drivers than younger ones. However there are far more horrific accidents caused by drivers less than 85, for a multitude of reasons. So why pick on the few horrific ones caused by those older than 85? Age is the least of our worries on the road. the driving behaviour of others is far scarier. However i would not object to the requirement of a medical certificate by a GP. Why age is concsdiered worse than obesity ,for exam[ple, when Focussing on a person's age ge is consdiered to be the cause of an accidents when they can happen for a multitude of reaosn, means that ofodler persons are being dsicirimintated against. Just ofcussing on a person's agetns of younger drivers, then i agree there is 

Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

The last three and a half lines should have been deleted- didn't check the draft before submitting!!! 

Beverley
Beverley from NSW commented:

Very well stated Anonymous. One cannot generalise or blanket - there are too many variables. Many older drivers probably cover 1000-2000 klms a year - shopping, doctors, a movie, to the station, hairdresser etc so it is local, keeping them independent and mobile. 

Colin
Colin from QLD commented:

The need for a road driving test on drivers over any particular age is too limited by the age consideration. If the doctor certifying to your health for licence renewal purposes is honest he will advise you and the licensing authority if your wits are scrambled. If they are not then your probable fifty or sixty years of experience make you safer than the young driver with his mobile in his hand and his noise generator at full whack. My doctor tests the all important reaction time my dropping a sheet of paper through my opened hand from a few inches up and if I grab it then my reaction times are OK. Eyes, co-ordination, and reaction times are the main things that can go wrong. Your sixty years behind a wheel is enough. That and keeping up with changes to road rules - and that applies to thirty years olds as much as to us oldies. At least we were taught how to read and how to obey. A driving tester beside you in a car is not necessary , but should be available free of charge if you request it. 

Beverley
Beverley from NSW replied to Colin:

Totally agree Colin. Well said. Maybe one free "top up" assessment - (or re-assurance) - every 1-2 years IF you feel the need? but then stubbornness can creep in - many feel they know everything - dont need it - couldnt/wouldnt learn anything or change anything . . . so . . . again, many, many variables. :) 

Don
Don from NSW commented:

Electricity costs a butcher fruit sshop delecatission ; in several areas willind to gige fiftyup club members a discountt 

peter
peter from NSW commented:

Couldn't agree with Virginia more. Coles' insurance cost is very competitive but if you are with a company that has reasonable prices and great service it's worth paying a little bit more. 

Panagiotis Peter
Panagiotis Peter from NSW commented:

Have you guys seen the premiums for Life Insurance once you get over fifty? That is daylight robbery and should be investigated. We have had this insurance cover for over 15 years now and once I hit 50 the premiums went to $370 per month. Is this in line with industry standard? 

Someone
Someone from NSW replied to Panagiotis Peter:

Put the $370 on an ING account at 4.something% and you will quickly have accumulated enough to cover the expenses for a funeral or other... Life Insurance premiums are a rip off, it is a well known fact, so are funeral insurance, just look at the sumptuousness of the insurance companies buildings everywhere, and you will understand that the Insurance business is a very -too...- lucrative one. Like most big listed businesses, now, the shareholder is the priority, the dividends are the priority, we are , us, the clients, just a number and they want our money for as little as possible in return (goods, service, etc...), lets tell them about this crazy injustice, lets boycott such greedy businesses, or we would be really silly, wouldn't we? As far as the so-call Coles insurance, I have a problem, myself, with their customer service located in South Africa, how patriotic is that??? 

Virginia
Virginia from NSW commented:

Even though Coles Insurance was happy to write off $850 from their original quote to match my current insurer, AAMI, less the $100 discount, I will still be staying with AAMI. Its called Loyalty, and to tell you the truth I believe that in 12 months time Coles Insurance will not offer any discount anywhere near the one they offered this year.!! Sometimes its better to stay with the Devil you know then to go with the Devil you don't!! 

Lorraine
Lorraine from VIC commented:

Every person is different and driving ability should not be determined by age. Mandatory testing creates stress that can cause a normally competent driver to fail and lose a much needed licence. Many older people are extremely capable of continuing to drive well. Leave things as they are, most of us will know when its time to stop 

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