Sam Palmer and Annalise McCarthy
When staff and patients at Braemar Hospital do a double-take in the corridors of Tui Ward, they’re not seeing things – they’re just experiencing the phenomenon that is twins Sam Palmer and Annalise McCarthy.
Born just 40 minutes apart in Hamilton (with Annalise claiming the title of eldest), these sisters have taken remarkably parallel paths through their nursing careers, right down to their current roles at Braemar. Sam works as a Clinical Nurse Coach on Tui Ward, while Annalise serves as Charge Nurse on the same ward – a setup that has led to more than a few amusing cases of mistaken identity.
A Game of Musical Maternity Leaves
The sisters’ journey to Braemar reads like a carefully choreographed dance. Annalise started first in October 2021, while Sam was working in ICU at Waikato Hospital before going on maternity leave in August 2023. Sam then joined the team in July 2024, and they’ve been taking turns on maternity leave ever since – with Annalise away in September 2024, returning in September 2025, and Sam due to go on parental leave again in April this year.
“When I started as the newly appointed Clinical Nurse Coach in Tui and shortly after you left,” Sam recalls with a laugh, “A lot of staff thought I was Annalise back from maternity leave. Eventually everyone got to know both of us.”
The confusion extends to patients as well. “I do more of the morning shifts, and during my Charge Nurse ward rounds occasionally patients question whether I’ve met them the night before ‘I’m sure I’ve already met you,'” Annalise explains. When in fact they had met Sam the evening beforehand. The sisters claim it helps that they wear different uniforms which makes it easier for staff and patients to tell them apart.
Why Braemar?
Before landing at Braemar, both sisters worked together in the ICU at Middlemore Hospital, so working side by side is nothing new. But there’s something special about Braemar that keeps them here.
“It’s a great place to work,” says Annalise. “The people, the culture – it’s really inviting. There’s flexibility, and you don’t dread coming to work.”
Sam agrees: “Good vibes. You feel like you can make a difference. It’s busy, but not run off your feet – it’s manageable.”
Annalise adds what might be the most important factor: “You never feel alone in your role.”
Sister Act
Working alongside your twin could be complicated, but for Sam and Annalise, it’s anything but.
“We’re pretty frank with each other,” says Annalise.
“It never gets awkward,” Sam adds. “We don’t fight.”
With a younger sister and younger brother rounding out their family, these two have clearly mastered the art of sibling harmony. And when things do go awry? People say “just blame your sister,” they joke – though both are quick to clarify they’re “not about that.”
A Centenary Connection
As Braemar celebrates its 100-year milestone, Sam reflects on the significance: “It’s pretty special, the centenary. Crazy to think it’s been around for 100 years.”
For both sisters, nursing isn’t just a job – it’s a calling. “Pretty cool,” they say simply. “We an’t imagine doing anything else.”
As for the “double trouble” reputation? The staff at Tui Ward wouldn’t have it any other way.
Braemar Hospital is 100% owned by the Braemar Charitable Trust which works to improve healthcare access in the community