Juanelle Manuel – Nurse Practitioner Intern
29th November 2024 | Back to News
Three Rivers Medical welcomes new nurse and NP intern Juanelle Manuel.
“I love that at Three Rivers career advancement is considered normal and they encourage your growth which feels quite different from the culture at the hospital,” Juanelle says.
“The team are lovely and I feel supported here.”
Juanelle was born and raised at Rangitukia on the East Coast and did her high school years at Gisborne Girls’ High School.
She started studying towards a Bachelor of Nursing when she left high school at what was then called UCol before it became EIT.
She has more than 15 years-experience working in the medical ward at Gisborne Hospital which included palliative care before the new hospice was built.
She looked after a range of patients including those who had suffered strokes as well as those with kidney disease and cancer. In her last two she specialized in oncology completing a masters in oncology this year.
Juanelle has always been interested in furthering her medical knowledge and getting new skills and did post grad education throughout her time working at Gisborne Hospital. Three Rivers Medical has given her options for career development where she receives mentoring and support. She is enjoying the variety of the work and the fact she can draw upon her many years of experience and treat patients with some autonomy.
Juanelle is being mentored by NP Natasha Ashworth but works as part of a multi-disciplinary team and has daily interaction with the doctors who are also involved in her NP training. She likes the fact no two days are the same – one day she may be seeing patients in the rest homes and advising the nurses there on medications and treatment plans and the next day she could be assisting a GP doing stitches on a patient.
As a NP intern Juanelle sees acute patients and is able to make treatment plans including medications which are then signed off by a doctor.
The busy mum of three is enjoying the regular hours at Three Rivers after doing shift work for many years.
When she returns home to Rangitukia she is often asked for medical advice and is happy to help out her wider whanau and community drawing upon her experience. In her previous role as a specialist nurse in oncology she would analyse blood tests and recommend chemotherapy drugs and this started to feel limiting.
“The scope is broader in primary health care. I like people and interacting with patients,” she said.
“I now see patients of all ages including babies, can perform minor surgeries and check ears, noses and throats. I like the variety and using my knowledge to help people.
“It’s exciting -– there’s more freedom and autonomy, you do your day your way.” Outside of work Juanelle and her husband are keen scuba divers and can’t wait for the kids to learn once they are old enough.