Ever since she was young, Luannie, Clinical Manager at Bupa Parkstone, Christchurch, New Zealand,loved taking care of people and knew she wanted to become a nurse.

Graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1993 at St Paul University in Manila, Philippines, Luannie has spent most of her years nursing in different fields. This meant mostly working in acute hospital care, as there is no aged care sector in the Philippines. She learnt to deal with difficult situations with calmness and confidence. She said that continued learning and her experiences played a big part in her decision making.

Luannie moved to New Zealand in 2005 and started working as a registered nurse in aged care at Bupa Parkstone, in Christchurch. Working in aged care is a special family environment to Luannie. She was brought up close to her grandparents back home, so the aged care setting is very special to her heart. She always thinks of the aged care residents as her own family. Seeing some of them not having families to come and visit them makes her reach out to them even more.

Bupa Parkstone Care Home Manager, Karry Durning, says she is moved by Luannie’s dedication to the residents at Bupa Parkstone and she believes Luannie is a real asset to the team at Parkstone.

Since her time in New Zealand and with Bupa, she has continued to progress in her career, becoming a clinical manager at Bupa Parkstone, Christchurch. Luannie was the only Aged Residential Care (and Bupa) nurse asked to present at the 2017 Palliative Care conference, which is a testament to the high regard she is held by her nursing and medical colleagues. Luannie's absolute determination for the Parkstone nursing team to be known for their high standards and service to others makes her an inspiring nurse leader.