\u201cTo be a nurse, you have to really care. You have to be a people person,\u201d Brookings said. \u201cIt\u2019s not just about clinical skill\u2014it\u2019s about compassion, teamwork, and being part of a community that supports one another.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Brookings, expert care<\/em> means staying current with best practices, recognizing the importance of self-awareness, and embracing the strength of a united team. \u201cYou\u2019re not alone,\u201d she said. \u201cNursing is a community. And no one should feel like they have to carry the weight of a hard situation on their own.\u201d<\/p>\n She emphasized that supporting one another on shift is critical\u2014especially when long hours and mandatory overtime push nurses to their limits. \u201cI\u2019ve worked 16-hour shifts. You\u2019re human. You get tired. But your coworkers lift you up. You check on each other. That\u2019s what gets you through.\u201d<\/p>\n Advocating for Nurses and the Children They Care For<\/strong><\/p>\n Brookings has also stepped into a leadership role as shop steward, working alongside Clements to support colleagues and advocate for better conditions on a unit that cares for some of the province\u2019s most vulnerable children.<\/p>\n \u201cChild psychiatry in this province needs more\u2014more resources, more support. But what we do have is a team of compassionate nurses who show up every day, committed to doing their best,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Her work on the unit and within the union is driven by a desire to ensure the environment is supportive not just for staff, but for the young patients they care for. \u201cWe\u2019re here for the kids. That\u2019s why I took this role. That\u2019s why we advocate.\u201d<\/p>\n Human Connection at the Core<\/strong><\/p>\n Brookings believes what truly sets nursing apart is its foundation in human connection. \u201cTechnology might change some parts of what we do, but it can\u2019t replace that core of nursing\u2014that moment when you connect with someone, when you hold space for them, when you let them know they\u2019re not alone.\u201d<\/p>\n She hopes the public will remember that nurses are people too\u2014professionals who care deeply, who show up tired but still committed, who hold your hand during your worst day. \u201cEven a simple thank you\u2014it stays with us,\u201d she said. \u201cWe feel that.\u201d<\/p>\n After 15 years in the profession, Brookings is still learning, still growing, and still deeply proud to be part of Newfoundland and Labrador\u2019s nursing community. \u201cThere\u2019s a sense of belonging here,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd that makes all the difference.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When Kira Brookings decided to step into a new chapter of her nursing career by joining the child psychiatry team at the Janeway, she brought with her more than a decade of clinical experience, a deep commitment to her patients, and a refreshing sense of humility about the work nurses do every day. After years […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":1318,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[89,101,102],"class_list":["post-1317","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nursing-matters","tag-national-nursing-week","tag-nurses-who-make-a-difference","tag-the-power-of-a-nurse-to-transform-health"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/intouch.rnunl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FB_IMG_1746804280768-300x267.jpg\")
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