Growing up in Eden, a small town within the Bega Valley Shire, rural nursing has always been my passion.   Living in a small community with limited health services, my vision is to positively impact the health service industry in rural and regional areas.   Experiencing the lack of resources within a rural area, my peers and family have to travel long distances for basic health care needs and staff shortages, I view these challenges as an opportunity for personal and professional growth and it would be an accomplishment to overcome these.   I wish to become a rural nurse for the deep level of person-centred care developed within these unique settings.   Fostering a sense of belonging and connection with patients creates a sense of belonging in a close-knit community which I believe would be highly fulfilling.   Working within a culturally diverse rural community will enable me to experience a broader scope of practice compared to metropolitan hospitals, this offers invaluable and ongoing learning which I strive for throughout my career.

Throughout my degree, I have had the privilege to complete several clinical placements in rural/regional NSW which has been a major influence.   Undertaking the unique challenges and opportunities these hospitals have had to offer, I have felt the most supported and welcomed by all healthcare professionals.   As a result, I am extremely grateful to be offered a full time new graduate position.

I am aware, however, that rural/regional nursing comes with its challenges which I have experienced throughout my degree.   Attending university just months after graduating year 12, I have found the past 3 years to be significantly financial challenging, balancing part-time work, studying fulltime and independently supporting myself.

1st-Semester Placement
In the first semester of my 3rd year of nursing, I attended placement in the Intensive Care Unit at South East Regional Hospital, Bega. The placement was for 4 weeks, and I completed a range of AM and PM shifts. Although a high-needs unit made me nervous, within the first week I found myself thoroughly enjoying the workload and the influx of new skills and knowledge. With the opportunity to practice my skills on more critically ill patients, I was required to use critical decision making and I learnt how to efficiently manage my time. With a broad scope of practice, I was able to take on a patient load and felt supported when caring for patients with complex needs. Some highlights include watching a cardioversion, tracheostomy care, and providing care for a patient experiencing severe anorexia nervosa. All the staff were part of a close-knit team, they were extremely welcoming and willing to teach.

2nd Semester placement
My second semester and final placement was in the Vascular and Urology ward at Wollongong Hospital. The placement was 5 weeks long and I completed AM shifts. Although it was a distance to travel (5 hours) it was a great experience, and I learnt a lot. Having the two specialties together, I gained a more in-depth understanding of the two areas as all the patients were experiencing similar illnesses. Throughout my placement, I took on patient loads and I made the most of the last learning as a student. Some highlights include learning wound care of various amputations, gaining competence and confidence in several clinical skills, and building rapport with a range of interesting patients, one being a psychic. Attending placement in a metropolitan hospital, however, made me appreciate the uniqueness of regional and smaller hospitals. I recognised there was not a close-knit community bond and unfortunately, some staff were not enthusiastic about teaching students. Overall, it was a great experience, and I had the opportunity to attend some great in-services run by incredibly skilled staff members and specialists. I learned and grew a lot as a student during this placement.

Over the past few months, I have been settling into the medical ward for my second rotation in my new grad year. Although I was nervous about working in the medical ward, the team, patients, and overall atmosphere (although overwhelming at times) have been very interesting, and I have developed my skills and knowledge greatly.

Within the four months of working on the medical ward, I have adapted to the different routines of shifts, finding that no day is ever the same on the ward. I have been working alongside an amazing team, including doctors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dieticians and nurses, with whom I have gained a lot of interesting knowledge from. I have had many memorable experiences, some that have stood out to me include many complex wounds, MET calls, Code blacks and the wide range of complex medical conditions which have been interesting to experience in person and not through a textbook as we learnt in university. I have found that the majority of patients in the medical ward are elderly, even caring for a 102-year-old patient, and I enjoy listening to their interesting life stories.

I have provided palliative care to numerous patients, an eye-opening experience however, I feel privileged to have the opportunity partake in someone’s last moments and make them comfortable. Working in the medical ward has taught me to be vigilant, and improved my critical thinking skills, and time management and I am grateful for the opportunity to practice my nursing skills. I have had the opportunity to participate in a wide range of education and training and I am learning new things every day.

So far, I am thoroughly enjoying my time in the medical ward and experiencing the life of a Registered Nurse. From conducting assessments, drawing up medications, providing personal care or a shoulder to cry on, I have also found myself on my hands and knees hanging numerous tea bags off my end-of-life patient’s bed, one of many random nursing tricks I have learnt. I’m excited about what else the ward has to offer and undertaking the many challenges to come.