Opinion: Having a mum who is a nurse is extra special

Thousands of nurses from all over the country marched on Saturday, including in Rotorua. Photo / Stephen Parker

In a weekend that was all about mums, I got a pretty important reminder about one of the things that makes mine so special.

On Saturday about 100 Rotorua nurses marched through the streets as part of International Nurses Day, and talking with these nurses made me a little emotional.

My mum has been a nurse for 31 years. She works long days without breaks, has been assaulted on the job, takes on the pressure of looking after other people's sick loved ones and works all kinds of hours, even Christmas Day.

Nurses are a special breed of people who are there for us at our absolute worst, often without thanks.

But her caring doesn't stop or start with the uniform.

I cursed her for it growing up, when I could never get away with pretending to be sick, but as soon as I moved out of home she would be the one I called at the first sign of even the slightest bout of illness.

Over the past year my wonderful mum has been unwell, and we have seen nurses from the other side of the fence.

The difference it can make having a shoulder to cry on, someone to make small talk with when you don't want to discuss the big things and the kind lady who always brings in baking from home.

Knowing they are there to help makes the experience less daunting.

Being a nurse is a huge part of who my mum is and that is something she should feel safe and proud to be doing.

Across the country 15 marches were held in unison, because nurses say they feel unsafe, undervalued, underpaid and ignored.

It can be hard to see the person behind the uniform, but on a weekend that's all about mums I want to thank mine for the amazing work she has done while in hers. ​