Meet QEII Hospital Multicultural Nurse Navigator Lynn Birindwa, who’s empowering Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) patients to take control of their health journey.
From facilitating inpatient and outpatient consultations to engaging interpreters, community services and coordinating care for CALD patients, Lynn works closely with a multidisciplinary team to deliver a personalised and holistic care plan for every patient.
Lynn’s early career saw her thrive within the diverse communities that characterise rural and regional Queensland from Charleville to Cairns, before making the move to Metro South, where she would spend the next seven years growing her experience at PA Hospital.
Now celebrating 10 remarkable years of nursing, Lynn says the decision to take on the QEII role was an easy one.
“I got a lot of exposure to different kinds of patients from many different cultural backgrounds in my early career, and that made me more well-rounded in my practice,” she said.
“It can be very confronting when CALD patients come into a new health system that is complex and different, so it’s important that they have someone there who can understand and help bridge their needs.”
Lynn’s own remarkable journey from a Congolese war refugee to Nurse Navigator drives her passion for person-centred care and empowers her to deeply connect with and advocate for vulnerable patients.
“As the eldest daughter, I’ve always been a carer in my family, so nursing came quite naturally to me. Over the years, it’s turned into something much bigger, because I can see how my work affects other peoples’ lives, both personally and at the health system level,” she explained.
“As clinicians acknowledge and act on those recommendations, they can give the patient the best care possible.”
From inpatient to outpatient and community consultations, Lynn's holistic approach, combined with the support of her team, empowers her to advocate for culturally responsive care pathways that support CALD patients long after discharge.
“Every patient has a story, so it’s important that we think of them as a whole person. My goal is to understand how a patient’s cultural and religious needs affect them, their presentation, and potentially their care plan.
“I work alongside clinicians that exemplify our ICARE2 values, from The Nurse Navigation team at QEII to the health equity and access team, and the broader PHN team across Metro South. I am greatly inspired by how the QEII Nurse Navigation team fearlessly take on the most complex cases and find a way through as they think outside the box.”
“It’s powerful that we also have an incredibly supportive Executive Director in Gillian,” she said.
This Multicultural Queensland Month, Lynn’s dedication to this cause bridges a vital link in the modern healthcare framework, while driving meaningful outcomes within one of Queensland’s most culturally diverse communities.