As Braemar Hospital marks its centenary year, our Clinical Nurse Lead Georgia Lusty reflects on the unexpected path that led her from a police career dream to the operating theatre — and why she wouldn’t change a thing.
Georgia Lusty will be the first to tell you she didn’t plan on being a nurse. At 18, her sights were firmly set on a career in the police. Nursing was, in her own words, a stepping stone — a way to gather life experience before heading to the front line.
It didn’t quite go to plan. And she’s never been more grateful for that.
“During my studies I was still not convinced nursing was for me,” she admits. “That changed in my final year, on a three-month placement in theatre. Once I was in there, I knew.”
What hooked her was the combination of things she loved most: the intensity, the teamwork, and above all, the advocacy. In theatre, the patient is set to be put to sleep, and for most of the time unable to speak for themselves. Their care rests entirely in the hands of the team around them.
Those final moments before a patient goes under anaesthetic are something Georgia describes with real warmth. “We have a little chat — not about medical things, but about them. What they enjoy, what’s going on in their life. It’s a short conversation, but it matters. It’s a human moment, right when they need it most.”
A career built in the operating theatre
Georgia trained at Manukau Institute of Technology before spending four years at Middlemore Hospital and the Manukau Super Clinic. She joined Braemar Hospital in November 2023, and since January last year has served as Clinical Nurse Lead for General Surgery at Braemar Hospital. A role that blends clinical expertise with operational leadership.
Her days involve ensuring the right team is in place for every procedure, that equipment and stock levels are where they need to be, and that the many moving parts of a busy theatre run smoothly. It requires sharp communication skills, deep knowledge of each surgeon’s requirements, and — as she puts it — a generous helping of common sense.
“The surgeons trust me to have everything prepared and ready. There’s enormous job satisfaction in that. Theatre can be stressful, things can change fast — but if you’ve planned well, you can absorb that.”
Empowered nurses save lives
This International Nurses Day, celebrated under the theme Empowered Nurses Save Lives, Georgia’s story is a reminder of what empowerment looks like in practice: not grand gestures, but the quiet confidence of a skilled professional who knows her team, her environment, and her patients.
She’s passionate about drawing more people into the profession and her advice for anyone thinking about nursing as a career is: “Make sure you explore all the avenues, there may be an area you don’t expect to enjoy but you do – hang in there try something else. That’s what worked for me.”
She adds that nursing also gives you opportunities for flexibility around family life, as well as for your lifestyle.
Outside of nursing Georgia and her partner run a dairy farm, which she helps with over the weekends. Also most mornings Georgia can be found at a Crossfit gym before work.
From a theatre nurse perspective, she says elective surgical settings are an ideal environment for newer nurses to build their skills. “Everything is scheduled; it’s a calmer environment. It’s a wonderful place to learn and grow.”
Looking forward in a centenary year
As Braemar Hospital celebrates 100 years of care, Georgia’s gaze is firmly forward. The surgical robot already in use at Braemar is just the beginning — she’s excited about what the next decade of innovation will bring, for nurses and patients alike.
“Technology is changing everything. We have a surgical robot here now. I think robotic surgery will be the norm sooner than people expect — and the benefits for patients are extraordinary.”
And the police? “I couldn’t think of anything worse now,” she laughs. “Nursing is absolutely more my thing.”
Braemar Hospital is 100% owned by the Braemar Charitable Trust which works to improve healthcare access in the community