It was ironically running a deli in Sydney during the 1980s that confirmed the importance of nursing for Veronica “Ronnie” Croome, who is retiring as the ACT’s Chief Nurse today. She took on the small business in Eastwood during a four-year sabbatical from nursing and found the qualities imbued through nursing had held her in good stead. “The delicatessen was quite successful and I think the reason for that is because people have a level of respect and trust in nurses,” she said. “So once your customers know you’re a nurse, they know that you’re going to be honest and trustworthy; that you’ve got good hygiene standards and it was a pretty exciting thing to do but hard work.” Ms Croome ended up selling the business and happily returning to nursing. She retires from the profession after 43 years as a nurse, the last almost nine years as the ACT’s Chief Nurse, providing leadership to nurses and midwives in Canberra; advising the minister and director-general and sitting on committees to foster the calling.
