Uncategorized

dsc_0635

     EDGAR TAN

“Sometimes you are the only person with them in their dying moments.”

I am a registered nurse specializing in aged care.

I was always interested in nursing and all things medical, so straight after high school I went to do a nursing course at the Institute of Technical Education of Singapore. Coming from an Asian background where nursing as a career can be frowned upon, especially for males, I was lucky to have a pretty supportive family.

I did a two-year certificate to become an enrolled nurse. Thereafter, I did around four months work in a public hospital before it was time for me to do the mandatory two year military service. Continue reading →

dsc_0589

      REBECCA LANIGAN

“I think as nurses, often we focus primarily on our jobs and patients, but it’s also important to spend time on ourselves, our self-development and career satisfaction.”

I am a Registered Nurse, working in a Level 1 Emergency and Trauma centre in Melbourne.

Prior to doing my VCE in Mildura, I went on a cultural exchange trip to Indonesia. I lived with a host family in Yogyakarta, going to school and sharing their lifestyle. The second time I visited, I actually ended up being a patient in their healthcare system. That was the first time I was in a hospital – home or overseas.

When comparing the lifestyle I experienced there to my own, I was especially struck by the difference in healthcare – not just the resources, but even in the basic access people have to knowledge and health education. Continue reading →

dsc_0629

     MARK TYRRELL

“Trying to get a Holocaust survivor with dementia into a shower is a harrowing experience”

I currently work as a practice nurse in a GP Clinic.

I was never too interested in school, and left half way through year 12. I already knew I wanted to do nursing, as I had been a first aid volunteer a few years by then. I started through a Victorian Youth Development program in 1997, that allowed kids to do cadetships with the army, the navy – and first aid.

I learnt first aid basics, went out with the ambos to events like football and concerts. It was pretty confronting for a kid, dealing with cardiac arrests, drug overdoses. But seeing how the paramedics and the nurses I worked with dealt with these situations and people, inspired me to get into it myself. Continue reading →

dsc_0289

     MAEVE BLAKE

“In ICU, you don’t get the luxury of feeling tired, running on autopilot.”

I’m a Division 1 nurse working at the Intensive Care Unit at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

Although my mum was a nurse, it was never something I was interested in doing when I was young. After school, I got into hospitality, working in bars and restaurants. Having a dual Irish passport, I travelled to Ireland and lived there a few years, doing odd jobs – but mainly hospitality.

It was a lot of fun for a while, but eventually, I looked around me and thought ‘Do I really want to be a fifty-year old waitress, working nights and weekends? This is going to get old real quick’. So I came back to Australia. Continue reading →

dsc_0531

     RIYAD ALADASSI

“The worst thing was the ugly feeling of impotence. When you can’t save a life.”

I am an anaesthetic and recovery nurse at Epworth Private Hospital.

Born in Kuwait, I am a third generation Palestinian refugee. We came to Gaza when my father had an accident which left him a quadriplegic. So from early childhood, I became used to performing nursing tasks, looking after my dad. My dream then was to become a neurosurgeon and operate on my dad to heal him.

After school, I started seeking medical scholarships abroad, as there weren’t any  medical schools in Gaza. But my father expressed a desire that I stay by his side, and I obeyed, letting my dream go. Instead, I went to an American Baptist missionary school in Gaza to study nursing. Continue reading →

dsc_0510

     RACHEL SMITH

“If you had told me 5 years ago I’d be a nurse, I would have said “Not a chance”.

I am a paediatric oncology nurse.

I grew up in the UK and moved to Australia in 2009, when I was 16. I did an international Baccalaureate in high school, specifically focusing on biology subjects. I was always interested in sciences and after school I got into a biomedical degree at Deakin, with the intention of going into veterinary medicine.

On graduation, I started a short internship at Southpaws Specialist Veterinary Clinic. I was allowed to shadow in surgeries, did admissions, pre – and postoperative care. As a result, I was offered a job there as a casual vet nurse, which I did for about 6 months. It was tough and long hours, but I loved it. Continue reading →

dsc_0489

     ZOE SABRI

“It’s a great feeling knowing that I’m keeping my patients at their prime, at home and independent.”

I am a registered nurse working for Royal District Nursing Service (RDNS).

My story starts when I was a little girl. I always had nursing in me: I used to make Mum get me doctor playsets and pretend to take care of my younger sister. As I went through school, I became interested in biology and how the human body works.

After school I first went to TAFE and I did an enrolled nurse course. This meant I could do most regular nursing tasks, but I was not a Registered Nurse, and had to work under the supervision from one. Continue reading →

dsc_0242

     SHERIDAN BANNER

“I had a woman who thanked me for three days straight for an enema I gave her to relieve constipation.”

I am a registered nurse working at Southwest Healthcare in Warrnambool.

From an early age, I loved babies, obsessing over how adorable and lovable they were. Perhaps as the youngest child, I felt I missed out on having a baby sibling to care for.

My interest in nursing developed when I went to boarding school as a teenager. The school nurse there was a wonderfully warm lady, a mother figure to all the girls. She inspired me in my later school years to take on that caring role, taking the younger girls under my wing. Continue reading →

dsc_0146

     EVELYN BLAKE

“They don’t see perioperative nursing as glamorous as maybe critical care, or midwifery.”

I’m a registered nurse, currently working as a Clinical Services Manager in a day surgery.

I went straight into nursing after high school in the 70’s. I thought it would be a job that I would enjoy – and I always have, actually. I did my general training in Dublin, at the Meade hospital, which is gone now.

As a general nurse, you’re looking after patients who are in hospital, in the wards: it’s general duties. From there you can specialize – you can go intensive care, midwifery, acute care, many other specializations. Continue reading →

dsc_5735

     ARINA ORLOVA

“I believe positive internal energy is a source of confidence and connection with people.”

I am an Esoteric Doctor. My practice is a psychic, healing and metaphysical centre. My aim is to help people be happy and healthy.

It was very hard for me to pick what I wanted to study. I come from Chernogolovka, a science center near Moscow. My parents were chemists,who sent me to an experimental advanced school. I did music, ballet, figure skating, basketball. I liked a lot of subjects and was interested in many things, so I couldn’t quite choose one.

Later on, looking at my karma, I understood why this was. But as a child I was always curious about magic and card readings, possibly because my grand-grandmother was a gypsy and my other grand-grandmother was a Mordovian healer. Continue reading →