Leslie was awarded the inaugural Ann Cook Clinical Nursing Scholarship
"The scholarship has enabled me to grow in terms of problem solving, continuous improvement and empowering my team."
Leslie Coo
Continence Nurse
St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne
Leslie has spent her nursing career focused on dignity, compassion, and practical solutions that make life better for patients - especially those at their most vulnerable. It’s what first drew her to geriatric care, and what continues to drive her work today as a continence nurse at St Vincent’s.
With more than 13 years of experience, Leslie began her career in the geriatric evaluation management unit, where she cared for older patients and led a quality improvement project to strengthen continence care across the ward. Her commitment to excellence eventually led her to St Vincent’s, a place she describes as a benchmark in patient care and a natural fit for her own professional values.
A major milestone came in 2019, when she became one of the inaugural Ann Cook Clinical Nursing Scholarship recipients for her project Stop the leaks - a GEM continence quality improvement project. The scholarship supported her growth, fuelled her passion for improving continence care, and opened new opportunities - including being invited to speak at the National Nursing Conference in 2021, a career highlight she still reflects on proudly.
Now working part-time while raising a young family, Leslie remains deeply committed to lifelong learning. She keeps up to date through journals, training, and conferences, and is part of a team that embraces evidence-based practice through monthly journal clubs that translate research directly into better care.
Looking ahead, Leslie plans to continue strengthening her expertise as a continence nurse and sharing her knowledge with colleagues. Her goal is simple but powerful: to ensure every patient receives the most respectful, effective, and patient-centred care possible - every single day."
