My name is Ashton Embry. I was born in Busselton, WA on Wardandi Noongar Boodja.  I grew up by the ocean and lived in a supportive environment that encouraged me to pursue my aspirations and always advocate for what I believe is right. From an early age, I knew I wanted to become a Registered Nurse, and since then I have chosen to dedicate my professional career and consequently a large portion of my life to improving health outcomes for the paediatric children and their families.

At age 17, I moved away from my family to Perth to further my studies at the University of Notre Dame. After working in the Special Care Nursery at King Edward Memorial Hospital, I later relocated to the Kimberley in WA to advance my career in the remote setting. After two years, I then moved and settled in Sydney to continue my professional journey in paediatric critical care.  My ideal work environment is one that presents challenges, demanding a high level of learning to further develop my nursing skills. I possess a solid education foundation and passion for caring for critically ill newborns and kids, alongside aboriginal health.

As an Aboriginal woman, I take great pride in my heritage and carry the legacy passed down through generations of my family. My Nanna, the matriarch of our family, has been the pillar of our resilience, strength, and my encouragement into a career in nursing. Through the hardships faced, she has embodied a deep connection to culture, advocated for fairness and challenged injustices which I believe all shaped the nurse I am today.

Inspired by Nan’s resilience and commitment to change, I too am dedicated to making a difference. As a nurse, I am committed to improving Aboriginal health outcomes by providing care that is culturally sensitive, patient-centered, and informed by emotional intelligence. I strive to continually enhance my practice and offer the highest standard of care. My decision to move to Sydney was motivated by the desire to learn from skilled colleagues and further my education, equipping me to continue the work of those who, like Nan, have paved the way for better outcomes in our community. My goal is to become a Clinical Nurse Specialists in the Children’s Intensive Care Unit, and this course is instrumental in achieving that. I also plan to support remote areas of Australia, in paediatric Aboriginal health when available. This course will significantly impact my career by positioning me to lead quality improvement initiatives and drive meaningful change. Through further study, I will not only enhance my own nursing practice but also contribute to the advancement of the profession, ultimately improving patient care.

I would like to sincerely thank you for your generous funding contribution towards my professional and academic development. As a Registered Nurse working in a Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), your support has made a significant impact on my ability to balance the demands of full time work and full time study.

The financial assistance I received allowed me to purchase a new laptop and essential textbooks, which have been instrumental in supporting both my academic studies and clinical development. These resources enabled me to effectively manage the demands of full-time study at the University of Tasmania, while simultaneously working in the high-pressure environment of the PICU. I am proud to share that I successfully passed all my university units this year. This achievement was made alongside balancing personal commitments, including playing netball, painting as a creative outlet, and travelling home to Western Australia, highlighting the importance of maintaining wellbeing alongside professional growth.

This year, I successfully completed two university units that revisited foundational concepts I had previously encountered in my clinical practice. While much of the content was familiar, the coursework served as a valuable refresher, reinforcing critical skills and knowledge that I had not applied recently. This process allowed me to consolidate my understanding, bridging the gap between academic theory and real world application.

To further enhance my learning, I took a proactive approach in the workplace by requesting to care for patients whose conditions aligned with the topics I was studying. This intentional alignment between study and practice significantly enriched my clinical experience. It allowed me to apply theoretical concepts in real time, deepen my understanding of complex conditions, and strengthen my confidence in delivering evidence based care.

I was proud to achieve High Distinctions in both online quizzes, which assessed my clinical knowledge and understanding of pathophysiology related to the respiratory and cardiac systems. In addition, I was pleased to receive a Distinction for an oral assignment, in which I developed a presentation based on a real clinical case I was involved with at work. The topic focused on paediatric sepsis, where I explored the pathophysiological mechanisms, outlined the treatment plan, and discussed the clinical interventions implemented. This assignment provided a meaningful opportunity to critically reflect on my care for a patient whose outcome was unfortunately poor, an experience that has had a lasting emotional impact on me, both personally and professionally. Engaging in this reflective process reinforced the importance of continual learning, evidence-based practice, and the emotional resilience required when caring for critically ill children.

Working in a Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) presents a unique combination of clinical complexity and emotional intensity. Each day brings the challenge of caring for children in life-threatening conditions, requiring a high level of skill, composure, and emotional resilience. This semester, I have supported patients and their families facing a wide range of critical situations, including severe respiratory distress, complex oncology cases with poor prognoses, end-of-life care for a child who drowned, and traumatic injuries requiring neuroprotective strategies, to name just a few.

In this high stakes environment, nurses must consistently remain calm, focused, and adaptable, even in the face of heart-breaking outcomes. The emotional toll of caring for critically ill children and supporting families through their most vulnerable moments cannot be overstated. Yet, despite these challenges, the role is profoundly rewarding. There is immense fulfilment in seeing a child recover and return home, in witnessing the courage and resilience of families, and in collaborating with a dedicated team of experienced healthcare professionals. These experiences continually reinforce my passion for paediatric critical care and my commitment to ongoing learning and compassionate practice.

Your support has not only assisted me practically but has also reaffirmed the value of continuing education and lifelong learning in the nursing profession, so I want to thank you again.