About Us
At our Ear Cleaning Clinic, we specialise in providing safe, effective ear care using advanced procedures like ear microsuction. Led by Katie Johnston, a highly experienced and dedicated Registered Nurse, our clinic offers personalised care to help improve your hearing and overall well-being. Alongside Katie, our team, including Ear Health Nurse Kirsty McMinn-Collard, is committed to delivering compassionate, professional service to each of our patients. Whether you’re visiting our clinic or receiving care at home, we’re here to ensure your ears are healthy and your hearing is clear.
Katie Johnston
Registered Nurse – Principal Ear Health Nurse
Born in Tauranga, New Zealand, Katie pursued a Bachelor of Nursing Degree at Universal College of Learning Palmerston North. She completed her postgraduate year at Wanganui Hospital before moving to Melbourne, Australia in 2002. Over the years, Katie has gained extensive experience in various nursing specialities, including surgical nursing, rest home nursing, private hospital care, and community care. Her roles have ranged from organising and staffing hospitals and health facilities in Melbourne to caring for patients in a post-op fast-stream rehabilitation unit.
Katie holds an Australian nationally accredited postgraduate certification in Micro-suction and Aural Hygiene from Crystal Clear Ears, where she worked as an ear nurse for several years before returning to New Zealand. She worked in a Hastings ear clinic for several years before establishing her own private ear clinic in Havelock North. Katie has also expanded her services to include home visits and rest home clinic visits throughout the Hawkes Bay Region for those who have difficulty accessing ear care due to illness, disability, or access issues.
What do you enjoy about your job?
I find immense satisfaction in seeing the dramatic improvements in my patients’ hearing after treatment. Witnessing the moment they realise they can hear clearly again, seeing the relief and joy on their faces, and knowing I’ve alleviated their discomfort is incredibly rewarding. Each day, I help enhance the quality of life for my patients by removing impacted wax, clearing infected debris, addressing skin conditions of the ear, or guiding them towards specialised care for more complex issues. Becoming an Ear Nurse hooked me instantly; I realised this was the career I was meant for, and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
Professional Memberships:
- Nursing Council of New Zealand as a Registered Nurse
- Member of the ENSG (Ear Nurse Specialist Group) New Zealand
Katie Johnston brings warmth, expertise, and dedication to her role as Principal Ear Health Nurse, continually striving to improve the hearing and overall well-being of her patients.
Kirsty McMinn-Collard
Registered Nurse – Ear Health Nurse
Kirsty has a broad nursing background, having worked in community, occupational health, and hospital settings. She brings a wealth of experience and a compassionate approach to her role at the Ear Cleaning Clinic. Kirsty’s friendly and empathetic manner makes her well-suited to providing ear care and support to her patients.
Kirsty joined the Ear Cleaning Clinic January 2024 and has been trained one-on-one with Katie, learning the practical skills and knowledge required to be a proficient ear nurse. She has completed comprehensive modules online with the training organisation where Katie trained as an ear nurse, ensuring Kirsty has a well-balanced, broadened perspective and knowledge base regarding a wide range of health issues with ears.
What are some of the highlights of working at the Ear Cleaning Clinic?
I enjoy the people I meet and the opportunity to use important skills, such as ear micro-suction, which provides immediate relief by removing impacted wax or infective debris. I also take pleasure in checking over and cleaning hearing aids, as the ability for people to see and clean all the small parts of a hearing aid can be challenging for some clients. By ensuring clear ears, clean hearing aids, and improved hearing, I help clients experience immediate improvements in their well-being and quality of life.
Professional Memberships:
- Nursing Council of New Zealand as a Registered Nurse
- Member of the ENSG (Ear Nurse Specialist Group) New Zealand