#WeAreNorthern
Meet Sujith (Suj) Abraham, Nurse Unit Manager at Northern Health’s Cardiac Angiography Suite and Cardiac Investigations Unit.
This week, we celebrated World Heart Day, so we caught up with Suj to learn more about his career in cardiac care and advice for heart health!
Q: What’s your coffee order?
A: A small almond latte, extra hot. A coffee a day keeps the morning moving!
Q: Tell us a little about yourself and your journey to Northern Health – what inspired you to work in cardiac nursing?
A: I joined The Northern Hospital in 2007, the same year I moved to Australia from Ireland. I was immediately captivated by this beautiful country, its people and of course, the weather!
When I first arrived, Northern was a much smaller hospital than it is today. I have had the privilege of watching it grow, not only in size and infrastructure, but also in the breadth and complexity of the services we provide to our community.
Cardiology was a relatively small service in those early days. In fact, our Cath Lab was located within the Radiology department, and we would wait for our turn to access the lab for cardiac procedures! Despite being a small service, the care we provided was always of an exceptionally high standard. I am incredibly proud that, almost 20 years later, that same commitment to quality, compassion and excellence remains at the heart of what we do.
My journey has taken me from Registered Nurse, to Clinical Nurse Specialist, Associate Nurse Unit Manager and now Nurse Unit Manager. Reaching this point is something I am genuinely grateful for – it is a dream come true.
Today, I am privileged to lead both the Cardiac Procedure Unit and the Cardiac Investigations Unit and to be part of the continued growth of Northern Health and its cardiac services. It has been an incredible journey, and I feel very fortunate to have grown alongside the organisation and the community we serve.
Q: What does a typical day look like for you as Nurse Unit Manager of the Cardiac Angiography Suite and Cardiac Investigations Unit?
A: No two days are quite the same! My day usually starts with our nursing team huddle, followed by the Cardiology medical team huddle. These meetings give us a clear picture of our inpatients and outpatients, help us identify the most urgent needs and allow us to prioritise care safely and effectively.
From there, the day can take many different directions – supporting the team through complex procedures, managing the flow of patients, troubleshooting unexpected challenges, working with our multidisciplinary colleagues, and constantly looking at how we can improve the cardiology services.
There is always something happening in cardiac care; therefore flexibility, teamwork and a good sense of humour are essential!
Q: What do you enjoy most about working in cardiac care?
A: Cardiology is my passion. I have had the opportunity to work across both Paediatric and adult Cath Labs in different countries, but what continues to excite me is being part of a team that can make such a significant difference to a patient’s life.
I particularly enjoy working alongside our cardiologists and the multidisciplinary team during cardiac procedures. It is incredibly rewarding to see a patient come in unwell or anxious and know that, through teamwork, expertise and technology, we can often make a profound difference to their outcome.
Q: What’s something people might not realise about the work your team does?
A: We work in a space where the difference between life and death can sometimes be measured in minutes.
When you hear a ‘Code STEMI’ announced over the hospital PA system, it is much more than an announcement to our team. It signals that someone in our Emergency Department, or a patient being urgently transported by ambulance from the community, may be experiencing a life-threatening heart attack and our team needs to be ready to respond immediately.
Our Cath Lab is also one of the busiest STEMI services in Victoria, managing a high volume of these time-critical emergencies. It is a responsibility we take very seriously. We sometimes care for some of the sickest patients in the hospital, often in highly time-critical and unpredictable situations. Things do not always go smoothly, and not every outcome is within our control. But every time that call comes, our team comes together, focuses on the patient and gives everything we can to provide the best possible care.
Q: With World Heart Day celebrated this week on 29 September, what’s one heart-health message you’d love everyone to know?
A: Don’t wait for your heart to tell you something is wrong.
Heart disease can sometimes develop quietly, and many of its risk factors can be improved through simple, everyday choices. Know your numbers (blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar), stay active, eat well, avoid smoking and make time for your heart health.
And importantly, know the warning signs of a heart attack and act quickly. If you or someone around you develops symptoms such as chest pain or pressure, shortness of breath, sweating, nausea or pain that spreads to the arm, jaw, back or shoulder, don’t wait to see if it gets better. Call 000. Every minute matters.
Q: What do you enjoy doing when you’re not at work?
A: I enjoy the simple things—spending time with my family, watching movies and getting away whenever we can.
I also enjoy going to church with my family. It is a meaningful part of our week and gives us an opportunity to slow down, reconnect and spend time together away from the busyness of everyday life.
Q: Favorite travel destination, and why?
A: For me, the journey is often just as enjoyable as the destination. I love long drives with family and friends. There is something special about having the time to talk, listen to music, stop at unexpected places and simply enjoy the Australian landscape.
Our most recent long drive was to Uluru, which was an incredible experience. We are already looking forward to our next adventure, a road trip to Cairns!
Australia has so much to explore and I think there are still plenty of roads waiting for us to discover.
