General News
3 June, 2026
Jenny celebrates 40 years of care
Oxley nurse unit manager Jenny Vague has marked 40 years of dedicated service, after beginning her nursing career as a student nurse at Wimmera Base Hospital in 1986.
The Willaura-raised nurse chose Horsham over Royal Melbourne Hospital and became part of the last group of hospital-trained nurses at WBH.
“I was a Willaura girl, and in 1986, I had a choice to train at Royal Melbourne Hospital or Wimmera Base Hospital,” she said.
“I chose Horsham and was part of the last group of hospital-trained nurses at WBH.”
By 1989, Jenny was working as an associate nurse unit manager in Ward 7, a mixed medical and surgical ward.
She later moved to the medical ward at Wyuna, completed her Bachelor of Nursing, and, in 2012, was appointed as a nurse unit manager at Oxley.
Jenny has also worked as an AMNF representative, no-lift coordinator, Infection Control manager and nurse immuniser, administering thousands of flu shots over more than two decades.
She spent 22 years in Infection Control and said COVID was one of the most challenging periods of her career.
“Our team of Sally, Rache, Amy, Kate and Tara worked together to guide the community with the information we had available,” she said.
“It felt like our work mattered.”
Jenny said she had made lifelong friendships during her time at WBH and was proud of the role Oxley had played in training nurses.
“I am very blessed and honoured to have worked here for all these years,” she said.
“I planned to give WBH three years, then move to Melbourne, but I met my future husband in Horsham, and we bought a house, and that was that.
“I have made amazing friends, especially the nurses I started working with, and I’ve enjoyed an amazing community.
“I am proud of my role in managing Oxley, and it has been a training ground for many.
“I felt like we have helped thousands of nurses to start their careers and move on into fields they enjoy, so we’ve done a lot to provide the community with its nursing team.
“The basics of nursing haven’t changed, but documentation has, and we have become a very risk-averse society, which has been both a good thing and at times a hindrance.”
Jenny has shared the Oxley nurse unit manager role for 13 years, first with Judy Wood and now with Helen Hill.
Grampians Health chief operating officer Ben Kelly congratulated Jenny on her commitment and outstanding contribution, particularly her leadership in Infection Control at Horsham and Dimboola during COVID.