Nurse Profiles

Claire, Registered Nurse 

What has been your post-secondary educational journey to becoming a nurse? 

I completed my VCE without receiving an ATAR, then spent a few years trying out various courses and career ideas. I had always thought of nursing as a good back up but didn’t think I would be able to get into a course. In 2016 I applied for a Diploma of Nursing and was admitted after sitting an entrance test. Starting with my Diploma built up my confidence to continue my higher education studies to complete my Bachelor of Nursing while I was already in the system. 

Did you have any challenges while completing your studies? 

The course structures changed for both my Diploma and Bachelor qualifications, which was challenging to adjust to. I also had some health issues, but was supported by the university and was able to complete my Bachelor degree as a part time student over three years, instead of two years. Undertaking my final year of placements during covid in 2020 was also challenging, especially as the graduate programs had to adjust to new changes.  

What was the most rewarding thing about studying nursing? 

For me, it was my clinical nursing placements during 2020. Nursing students were some of the few “outside” people allowed into hospitals and onto wards. It was incredibly rewarding to be part of a core care team, giving extra support to both patients and staff members.  

What is a typical day like in your current role? 

I work on a busy surgical gynaecology ward in a Private Hospital. We do team nursing on my ward, so there are 10 patients shared between 2 nurses, or 5 patients to 1 nurse. Handovers between shifts typically last around 30 minutes. AM shifts are from 0700 to 1500. After handover from the night shift, mornings start quickly. Each patient is checked on, vital signs taken, medications given. Mornings are when most of our discharges happen, so lots of education and organisation here. Showers and bed changes. Any urinary catheters or drain tubes not removed by the night staff are checked and removed if possible. Surgical wounds are checked each shift. Patients who had early morning surgery start to return to the ward from mid-morning. PM shifts are 1400 to 2200. This is where the ward gets the bulk lot of post operative patients who return from theatre via PACU (post anaesthetic care unit). Night duty shifts are 2130 to 0730. 

What advice would you give to secondary students who are thinking about studying nursing or midwifery? 

Please don't be scared off by all the extra attention and spotlight on nursing courses and healthcare in general. Nursing is a tough job at the best of times, but the most rewarding thing I have ever done.  

Given the new government announcement, have you thought about completing any further nursing studies in the next two years? 

Yes, now this announcement has been made, I would definitely look into further study relevant to my area of nursing.

Any other comments? 

One of the wonderful things about nursing is that there are so many different pathways to get into nursing and then endless career options. You can experience lots of different placements while studying, and then during your graduate year as well. 

Chardon, Registered Nurse 

What has been your post-secondary educational journey to becoming a nurse?

When I finished high school, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do but I knew I had a keen interest in healthcare. I completed a Bachelor of Science after school and prior to completing this degree I had never considered nursing as a career. I then did some research and spoke to parents of friends who had worked as nurses and learnt about the endless opportunities that are available. I enrolled in a Master of Nursing Science that fast-tracks the degree to be completed in two years rather than three like a normal nursing degree and graduated as a Registered Nurse at the end of 2020.  

Did you have any challenges while completing your studies? 

One of the requirements of becoming a nurse is completing 800 hours of clinical placement. These placements often occur in 3-6 week blocks and are unpaid. It can be difficult sometimes to complete placement and work at your independent jobs at the same time. However, I found that my employers were always very accommodating. Secondly, studying for exams or writing essays whilst on placement can be a real challenge. Placement involves working 40-hour weeks. It is essential to be organised to ensure you hand in assignments on time and be prepared for tests or exams.  

What was the most rewarding thing about studying nursing? 

I loved the feeling of coming home after a day working in a hospital and knowing that I had made a difference to someone’s life. As a student, you have more time to speak to the patients, especially early on in your degree when you aren’t looking after a full patient load (four patients on most wards in public hospitals). Having someone thank you personally for listening to them, speaking to them and caring for them is extremely gratifying. I will always remember certain patients I looked after because of the professional relationships that I formed with them. 

What is a typical day like in your current role? 

I am currently completing a Transition to Specialty Practice Program in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at a private hospital. At work, I check the system for my allocated patient and head to the pod where I will take over care. We always start our shifts with a safety huddle, highlighting care goals, specific alerts, and key updates. ICU handovers are extremely detailed, taking anywhere between 20-40 minutes for one patient. It is our role to know the patient like the back of our hand. Once handover is complete, I will do a thorough safety check of the equipment in my room, set alarms to alert me if the patient has vital sign changes, and complete a head-to-toe assessment of my patient, giving any medications that are due. Other teams that I will often see during the day include physiotherapists, speech pathologists, and dieticians. We work together to ensure every aspect of patient care is being attended to. I will coordinate with the nurse next door about our breaktimes, as we must always have a nurse watching our patients in case of any changes. We often have visitors come to see the patients we look after, or we will update the next of kin over the phone. Once my shift comes to an end, I will handover to the next nurse. In ICU we don’t often look after the same patient for more than one shift in a row, to allow for fresh eyes to assess the patient each day and shift. 

What advice would you give to secondary students who are thinking about studying nursing or midwifery? 

I highly recommend talking to current nurses about their role and doing your own research into the different opportunities available to nurses. Being a nurse isn’t just about working bedside and there are endless areas and roles as a nurse, so do your own research and you might come across something that inspires you. 

Given the new government announcement, have you thought about completing any further nursing studies in the next two years? 

I am considering completing a postgraduate certificate in Critical Care within the next two years. It is reassuring knowing that there are many scholarships available to help support nurses to complete postgraduate studies in certain areas of nursing.