During NAIDOC Week, we come together and pay respect to culture, language, and Country, and recognise and celebrate the achievements of all First Nations peoples.
At Monash Health, Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Officers provide vital cultural support and assistance to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients and their families during their inpatient stay in Monash Health. They can also help connect patients to community services during discharge planning. You can contact the Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Service here.
Meet Nola White
Nola White is a Pini, Kuwarra, Tjalkadjara woman and Traditional Owner of Leonora WA. She works as an Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Officer at our Monash Medical Centre, Clayton.
How do you describe the role of an AHLO?
It’s about being a face to the community when they come into hospital, helping to make them feel safe, comfortable, understand what’s being said to them and being there to help hospital staff better understand our community.
What was your path to becoming an AHLO?
I have been working in an Aboriginal Organisation for six years in many roles, including in a Women’s Group. After that, I moved over to work at Chisholm TAFE and am now in my current position here at Monash Medical Centre.
What does a day at work look like for an AHLO?
Not one day is the same. One day you can be with a mother who has just given birth and then you could be with a patient who is passing away the next.
What is the best part of the job?
Knowing that I can go to the patient and build a rapport, give support and put a smile on the patient’s and family’s faces.
How can our clinicians improve the experience of Aboriginal patients and make a more culturally safe environment?
Cultural Safety Training is a must, and then talking with AHLOs to get more of a hands-on understanding.
What do you wish they knew about the AHLO team?
We are a strong team of AHLO’s passionate about our culture, our community and helping others to understand the important work we do.
This profile is part of a series shining a spotlight on the Monash Health Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Officers. AHLOs provide vital cultural support and assistance to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients and their families during their inpatient stay in Monash Health. They can also help connect patients to community services during discharge planning. You can find out more about the AHLO service here.
