A Day in the Life of Sarah Morse

From working as a health advisor at a safe house for human trafficking survivors in Spain to a palliative care nurse in Australia, former NSW Young Australian of the Year Sarah Morse has over two decades of nursing experience under her belt.

With experience in cancer services and palliative care, she knows all too well how burnout impacts nurses and other health professionals. Following her personal experience, Sarah now works as a consultant, facilitator and keynote speaker working with nurses and other health professionals to help them address burnout and moral injury, and to cultivate thriving workplaces.

She is also the Founder and Director of Unchained Solutions, a social enterprise aimed at inspiring Australian businesses to make an impact on modern slavery. Her service has landed her awards such as the Women’s Economic Forum Woman of Excellence and the Ausmumpreneur Women Will Change the World Award.

06:00 My day starts with morning cuddles as my six-year-old crawls into my bed as soon as she wakes up somewhere between 6:00 and 6:30. Warm sleepy cuddles are the best!

06:30 My alarm goes off, and I am officially awake. If I can, I start my day with prayer and meditation, but that doesn’t always happen. Cuddles for my 11-year-old when I get up.

07:00 I’m off for some self-care and a walk around my local neighbourhood. I use this time to think and pray through my day and mentally prepare for what’s next. Today, I talk to my accountability buddy as I walk.

08:00 I arrive home to the final throes of my girls getting ready for school. I am grateful for the partnership with my husband who is awesome at the morning hustle! Kisses and hugs, and final checks of their bags to make sure they’ve got everything as they head out the door.

08:30 The house is quiet as the girls head off to school. Breakfast and a quick shower to get ready for the day. Don’t forget the coffee!!

09:00: Morning meeting with my husband and co-founder of Unchained Solutions to discuss our team and any upcoming trainings.

09:30 At my desk to brief my VA on social media and marketing, and answer any emails before heading out for the day. I fly through putting on my make-up, red dress and red sparkly shoes and am ready for today’s workshop.

10:30 As I drive across the city, I am grateful for this life I get to live, living all my passions at once, although the days are sometimes big and the juggle is real.

11:00 Arrive at a hospital for room set-up and AV check for my morning masterclass.

11:30 Deliver my Culture of COURAGE masterclass to a room full of health professionals, inspiring them that they play a part in helping their teams to thrive. I invite them to journey on the road to recovery from burnout and moral injury to a thriving culture once more.

13:00 Time for lunch and a change into my scrubs before heading to an afternoon shift at the hospital on a busy surgical ward.

14:30 Shift starts and I receive handover. It’s going to be a busy one! As I work, I remember the video I watched in orientation called “What if Disney ran your hospital” about how to create memorable moments for people in hospital. I do my best to personalise the experience for each person.

15:00 I prepare a patient for theatre. He is an elderly man with sky high blood pressure, which he says always goes up as soon as he gets to the hospital! He is asymptomatic, and I ring the anaesthetist, who is happy to continue.

15:30 A patient returns following reconstruction surgery of his nose after the removal of a BCC. He is in good spirits, despite his bandaged nose. As I am doing his post-op checks, I get notification that another patient has returned.

15:45 This time a 93-year-old man who is a high falls risk. He is slightly confused from the anaesthetic, and his daughters seek to reorientate him to the ward. I consult with his surgeon, who agrees that keeping him in hospital for a few extra nights is in his best interest.

17:00 The rest of the afternoon passes in flurry of patients coming and going for their day surgery procedures, and attending to their individual pre-op and post-op needs.

18:30 Time for dinner, and FaceTime to say goodnight to my girls. Sadly, I’m not there for bedtime tonight, but the cadence of my life where no two days are the same means that tomorrow I’ll be there during the day for school assembly, pick-up, homework and bedtime.

19:00 After dinner, my day only patients have left and I attend to my patients who are staying overnight.

22:00 I hand over my remaining patients and my shift finishes.

23:00 Home and showered. Time for a quick chat with my husband to debrief our days before falling asleep, excited to see what tomorrow will bring.