Shantell Colquist of Medibank’s CareComplete has been in the industry for over 20 years. Beginning her journey as an Intensive Care nurse, Shantell moved on from her career in a hospital to become a Clinical Care Coordinator for CareComplete. She says that making the change has been a positive impact in her life.
“Prior to this role I came from a highly acute hospital setting as an Intensive Care nurse, so making the transition into community and doing a new role has been my biggest achievement. It’s completely different to what I’ve known for 20 years.”
Shantell’s job is to work with patients in their homes assessing their health. She is looking for gaps in their healthcare, the little things that may get missed but can snowball into major health issues in the future.
“I bring solutions to them, I help them look for ways to navigate through the healthcare system and get the best outcome for themselves so that they can spend as little time in the hospital as possible.”
Asked how she makes a difference in the industry whether with her colleagues or her patients, Shantell says that it is through her passion for what she does that she is able to do so.
“I think the way my colleagues and I help each other is through our knowledge and experience and being able to share that. With my patients, it’s about helping them identify their needs and how to figure out the system so they have access to the appropriate services.”
Being a Clinical Care Coordinator is a tough job but one that Shantell says is extremely rewarding. Being a nurse gives an individual the chance to really make a difference in people’s lives. From the minute they reach out to the second they go back to not needing as much assistance, Shantell is there.
“I love that I have the chance to teach people how to be self-sufficient with healthcare. I think it’s great that we, as nurses, have the opportunity to empower people to take control of their own health.”
Like other jobs, there are some skills and attributes an individual ideally should have to succeed in their chosen role. A solid foundation of knowledge and the ability to have a laugh are two that she says helped her carry out her job as best as she can.
“Having a good clinical foundation means you’re able to identify problems before they escalate. I also feel that a sense of humour helps lighten everything up. In addition to these, excellent time management and discipline are definitely a must.”
Being a part of Medibank has also allowed Shantell to give equal attention to her career and her most important job yet – being a mum. She and her husband are the proud parents of twin girls, and says she’s grateful to be able to give them the time that they deserve.
“We’re able to have that work-life balance. Medibank recognises that there is a need for parents to balance their careers and their families. I love that I can be honest about where my time and focus at a certain moment needs to be. There’s no guilt.”
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