As a registered nurse, I envisage the opportunity to work within my community to promote the importance of achieving and maintaining good health across the lifespan.   I have a particular interest in community health and the delivery of health education within our indigenous communities. To achieve this, I have plans to further my education into postgraduate studies in midwifery and health promotion.

Creating, promoting and implementing health programs that cater specifically to the community, to be run by community members. Indigenous health can be improved by healthcare professionals being actively involved in the community and working together to improve risk factors associated with poor health.

Empowering our indigenous communities from within to overcome the daily challenges faced in achieving good health.

As I prepare to return to study in 2020, I can honestly say that 2019 was a blur of assessments, late nights and clinical placements. Semester two consisted of two academic units and one clinical unit that included a three-week clinical placement at Casey Hospital in Berwick.

Whilst I enjoyed my clinical placement on an acute general and palliative ward it has cemented my resolve to pursue other areas of nursing.  I am looking forward to finding out where the specialist and community placements in third year may lead me.

I entered semester two with a resolve to be more organised in my study and home life, to better my academic achievements of the previous semester. Whilst I was very happy with my individual assessment results and placement outcomes, I was disappointed that an exam result held me back from closing the year with an overall average grade of a high distinction. The disappointment is not so much about the grade itself, but that I allowed the constant competition for my time (study, family and finances) and distraction of self-doubt to question my course choice, career aspirations and commitment at times. The answer to those questions could lie in future postgraduate studies in public health or health promotion.

At semester end I commenced an Indigenous nursing cadetship with Monash Health. It provides opportunity for one paid shift per week as an assistant to nursing staff in an acute environment. The increased exposure to the clinical environment has helped me gain confidence in my clinical skills and practice.

I can now see the light at the end of the tunnel, bring on third year!