Humans of the Hospital: Pushpa Butler

“Every day, I’ve had a new strength in me from coming to work and I feel that I have had a purpose: a purpose to look after everybody.

“I started here at Westmead Hospital in 1988 and I thought it was great that I got to work for vulnerable people and help care for them.

“Patients need help and to be cared for – every patient needs someone to care for them, and I have always been there, willing to care for them.

“I worked in the Maternity ward for 23 years and I loved working there. Then I was transferred to the Cancer ward and I was helping patients more in there. I was absolutely rapt to be able to care for them – whether they needed some water or help putting their feet up. I was keeping their environment clean, which meant I was protecting them from infection, and I just wanted to look after them and give them a clean area.

“I’ve worked in the Older Person’s Mental Health ward for the last six years, and I’ve still been able to help patients.

“The staff I have worked with are really supportive and nice, and I have loved working in this environment. If I was younger, I would stay working here for even longer!

“I can say I have done my best. When I applied for this job, I knew how important my job would be, and in all these years, I have kept my standard the same as when I first started!”

Humans of the Hospital: Pushpa Butler

Pushpa Butler is retiring this month after 34 years as a Hospital Assistant at Westmead Hospital.