Once a champion on the dance floor, Beaudesert Hospital’s Nikki Brodrick is now a champion for women and families in the Scenic Rim.
The Clinical Midwife is a familiar face at both Logan and Beaudesert hospitals maternity services, but not everyone knows just how successful her career as a competitive ballroom dancer was.
Nikki started dancing at just six-years-old to fulfil her grandfather’s wishes, and by 17 had collected hundreds of trophies, and a wardrobe full of costumes, lovingly designed and sewn by her talented mother.
She said a typical day in the life of a ballroom dancing champion was no small feat, with two to three hours of training after school, three days a week, and eight more hours every Saturday in preparation for local and interstate competitions.
“On competition days we would start early with a hearty breakfast, self-tanning, hair, make-up, false nails, packing and preparing for the big day ahead,” Nikki said. “ The competitions would usually run from midday to midnight with many of my events performed at the end of the night.”
When the demands of competitive dancing became too great, Nikki hung up the sequins, but she didn’t reach for scrubs until years later.
After having her own children, Nikki made what she called the ‘best decision ever’ and left an unrewarding career in insurance to pursue midwifery.
Nikki began her studies at Griffith University in 2012, spending two years as a student midwife at Logan Hospital before completing her final year in the Midwifery Group Practice (MGP) at Beaudesert Hospital.
“This was the year that maternity reopened, and I was then lucky enough to get a graduate position at Beauy in 2015 and spent the next 12 months consolidating my skills as a brand-new midwife,” Nikki said.
At the end of that year, Nikki was offered a role at Gold Coast University Hospital (GCUH), where she was part of a team of six midwives who opened the first community-based antenatal and postnatal continuity of care clinic in Upper Coomera.
“It was a fantastic experience, but I missed my Beauy family. After six months at GCUH, I was lucky enough to get a permanent job back at Beaudesert Hospital and have since become a Clinical Midwife.
Nikki said her favourite thing about her job was everything - especially the chance to work to her full scope of practice across all areas of midwifery, every single day with her ‘big family’.
“Our team is passionate, highly-skilled and caring, not only towards our families but also each other. This is a huge reason why our clinical outcomes are so positive and family satisfaction is very high!”
Although she stepped away from the competitive spotlight, Nikki’s love for dance lives on. She still teaches social dance and runs a mobile wedding dance business helping couples perfect their first steps down the aisle.
“I joke that I should offer a package for bridal dance and midwifery care!” she laughed.
Though she now lives on the Gold Coast, she commutes back to Beaudesert for work. “It’s still worth it to be part of this fantastic community-centric hospital.”