Matt, Registered Nurse: So you didn’t get knocked out or anything, you sure?
I think you might need to have the cuffs off for this. Did you get punched here as well?
Hi I’m Matt. I’m a Registered Nurse with Justice Health at Cobham Youth Justice Centre.
Copy that.
There’s been an altercation or something like that, one young man came out with a few injuries, he had a split lip, a few bruises around the head.
Can you open your mouth? All right, so it’s just your lip?
He’s probably going to have a black eye tomorrow.
It’s an unusual place to work but it’s also very, very rewarding.
We’ve got a really unique opportunity to educate these young people on health. For a lot of them, this is the first time they’ve actually engaged with their own healthcare, so we try to use that to educate them so when they leave they’re more proactive.
Any wounds, injuries, rashes?
Patient: Nothing.
Matt, Registered Nurse: Any scars, bruises or piercings?
We really want to know about their background, about their family, their friends, their diet. We sort of piece together a lot of different things and make a big picture of what’s been happening in their life before custody.
Hey, how are you? Come through.
Patient: See this thing on my leg, someone said it looks like a boil or something.
Matt, Registered Nurse: Nah, it doesn’t look like a boil.
Young kids who really, really need support, whether it be mental health, drug use, primary health… They come in and they really like that we’re there.
So we’ll just give it a clean okay, and we’ll re-dress it again.
How long do you reckon, like the dressing you know.
Lift your leg up for us, yep. Just until it fully heals really, just don’t want it to get any gunk in there, infection, especially if you’re out in the gym, that sort of thing. Are you still putting the iodine on it?
Patient: Yeah, yeah, I’ve got heaps of that.
Matt, Registered Nurse: Okay, so you just need the dressing. We’ll probably see you in about two days, hey?
Yeah, see you.
When I finish work I go home to my wife, Kate, my son Lachlan and my two dogs, Ralph and Harry.
Hello, hello! Hello my little man.
My wife stays at home to look after my son Lachlan. He’s five, he’s autistic, he goes to a special school.
We sit down, yeah? We get some yums.
It’s his first year and he’s just having a great time.
Had a big day at school, Lachie?
Just get your temperature.
I feel really privileged to be working with these young kids. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but for me, I’m proud to be here helping them, and you go home, and you think wow, you’ve just made a difference today.