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A Kiwi In The Big Apple

A long way from her native Auckland, New Zealand, Tracey D’Rose, RN, is in a New York state of mind. The young nurse yearned to experience different cultures. Since she and her husband spoke only English, they headed for the United States, and found themselves working in the metropolis of metropolises…Manhattan.

Upon graduating from nursing school five years ago, Tracey first worked in an infectious disease ward, and then in pediatrics. Neither suited her. But when she found a position in an emergency room, she found her calling in the process. Currently, she works at Manhattan’s Beth Israel Medical Center in their 11-bed Level 2 Trauma Center.

“I like meeting people here,” says Tracey. “When they first meet me, they’re intrigued as to where I’m from. [Because of my accent], they think it’s England. I enjoy chatting and sharing stories about our hometowns because lots of people living in New York aren’t from there originally.”

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Although the language is the same, certain dissimilarities between New Zealand and the U.S. can be challenging. “The main difference,” Tracey explains, “is the drug names. They’re completely different [from those I learned in New Zealand]. Epinephrine in New York is [known as] adrenaline in New Zealand; Tylenol is Panadol.” It’s no wonder Tracey keeps a drug reference book by her side at all times.

Another big difference is the living environment. In Auckland, the majority of housing is single-family homes with large backyards. In New York, it’s tiny apartments with even tinier kitchens. “I guess that’s why there are so many restaurants here,” Tracey quips.

Tracey grew up in a community of people helping others. Her father was a fire fighter, as were all the neighbors. Doing good deeds was the status quo. “I wanted to help and give something back,” she says. Nursing was something for which she had an affinity, even as a child—while some little girls played house; Tracey played hospital.

“I was the kid who liked to get out the bandages and the plasters. Even if I didn’t have a cut, I put a plaster on it,” Tracey remembers.

Although her family is far away, she stays connected to them via the Internet. “We set up a little camera so that our family can see us. We have chats over the computer. That makes it a lot less lonely because I can talk to them any time I want.”

There have been several memorable E.R. experiences for Tracey since joining Beth Israel. Recently, a patient was admitted with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). The staff went into action: They followed the information in the health department bulletins, and within five minutes, all necessary procedures and notifications were completed. Turns out it wasn’t SARS after all, but Tracey was impressed with the efficient way in which the case was handled.

Sometimes, New Yorkers strike Tracey as wacky. Even during a major blizzard, people came to the E.R., including one woman who wanted treatment for a toe abrasion. “I find that unusual,” Tracey says. “I was stunned that anyone would go out in the blizzard, especially with all the warnings.” She’s learning that in New York, people will do anything to beat the crowds.

In the future, Tracey wants to travel throughout the United States as well as visit warmer climates, like Jamaica and the Bahamas. Ultimately, she would like to be more involved with nursing administration or recruitment. She’s especially interested in lending support to foreign nurses and helping to ease their transition to working in the U.S.

Tracey is only 27 years old, but she’s wise for her years. “Even if you end up some place where you didn’t expect to be,” she says, “enjoy what you have. Life is what you make of it.”