I am passionate about the provision of exceptional health care to those living in regional/rural communities.   As I live in a remote area and have myself received excellent care at a regional hospital, I would like to continue providing the best possible health care for others int he East Gippsland region.   Receiving care from dedicate rural nurses has a positive impact on people’s lives, allowing them to remain in their community with friends and family and those they know whilst receiving optimum care.   I firmly believe this results in positive influences on people’s health outcomes and as a rural nurse I would endeavour to make this a reality for those living in East Gippsland.

Living in a remote area near Mt Hotham I have had the opportunity to both work and volunteer with the Mt Hotham Ski Patrol over the past 12 years.   In this role I feel at ease and it was extremely rewarding to help those in need of medical assistance.  After receiving excellent care from nurses following the birth of my children, again at a regional hospital, I decided rural nursing was the path I was meant to follow.  It has taken 10 years for me to reach the point where I had the opportunity to turn this dream into reality, and in 2022 I was finally able to commence my Bachelor of Nursing.

Being a rural nurse will help me achieve my personal goal.  My remote community will also benefit from my skills as a rural nurse.  Caring for people who live within one’s community brings connection and comfort to patients which is so important for their wellbeing.   My empathy and compassion for patients, critical thinking skills and effective communication are valuable skills which will assist me as a rural nurse to provide excellent care for patients and their families.  rural nursing will allow me to contribute in meaningful, valued and much needed capacity to be an extremely rewarding and fulfilling career.  In the future I aspire to become a nurse practitioner in order to offer greater assistance for those who live remotely and wo deserve high quality are in my challenging circumstances.

The placements I have undertaken as a nursing student have been both rewarding and challenging. My final acute placement at the Bairnsdale Regional Health Service certainly didn’t disappoint. I spent three weeks in the emergency department followed by another two weeks on the acute medical/surgical ward. I was conscious of gaining as much experience as possible and putting my theoretical knowledge into practice being aware that I would soon make the transition from student to nurse.

The emergency department was very fast paced, an aspect that appealed to me. Not knowing what situation would present was both exciting and overwhelming in the first instance. The calm and professional manner the nurses maintained is a skill in which they excelled and one which I aim to achieve. Although a very steep learning curve the practical experience I gained was invaluable and will assist greatly during my graduate year. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in this department and cannot thank the staff enough for their support and generous sharing of knowledge.

Whilst I learnt a great deal during my emergency department placement I was also really looking forward to my time on the medical/surgical ward. It was certainly different to the previous three weeks, however just as rewarding. I enjoyed having a little extra time to spend with patients and assisting in their journey towards improved health. The staff were amazing in their competent skills and holistic care of patients and their families. Again, their support was invaluable and the sharing of their knowledge helped me to achieve my placement goals. Prioritising tasks and time management were skills essential to both these areas which I was able to practice under excellent guidance.

Having now completed my nursing degree and final placement I am approaching my graduate year with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. My graduate year will also be at the Bairnsdale Hospital and after spending five weeks there I am comfortable that I will have great support from experienced, kind and knowledgeable colleagues. I am looking forward to continuing my leaning journey.

I can hardly believe that I am now halfway through my first 6-month rotation. I have come a long way in the past 3 months both personally and professionally, and whilst this is only the beginning of my nursing journey and I have much to learn, I can already see that I have also learned much since my first day on the ward.  Whilst placements throughout university are invaluable and an essential learning experience it is another step altogether becoming a graduate nurse working on a ward. The new experiences I am exposed to almost on a daily basis have been both challenging and rewarding but have also highlighted the huge amount of knowledge I am yet to acquire. The support of the nursing staff at BRHS has been both welcome, invaluable and much needed during this early stage of my nursing career.

The medical/surgical ward has presented me with many opportunities to challenge myself ensuring that I am able to gain experience while working within my scope of practice. Being part of an experienced team who are readily available when required, I am slowly becoming more confident of my abilities and competent in my role as a graduate nurse. The opportunities to practice and improve my clinical skills in a supportive and positive environment has been invaluable. I am thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to use my theoretical knowledge learned at university into practical use and feel that I am making a positive and real-life contribution to improving patient health in the Gippsland region. I can see that working in a regional health setting, my exposure to a diverse range of medical situations will be high and this is an appealing aspect of my graduate year.

The transition from university student to working professional has presented its own challenges and achieving a healthy work/life balance takes practice, however my family and I are now settling into this new routine and beginning to enjoy it. Shift work has been an element that has taken some adjusting to, but I am beginning to enjoy the changing routines that come with it realise the importance of gaining a feel for the 24-hour nature of hospital care, and surprisingly I am even enjoying certain aspects of night shift! I am really looking forward to the second part of this rotation and the learning and experiences it will undoubtedly bring.