Nursing Students' Testimonial (Postgraduate)

As a hospital trained nurse from Austria, my dream always was to study at a university. I love to learn and surprised myself when I realized that I spent out of the fourteen years I am a qualified nurse, six years in part time education, whilst working (mostly full time) as a nurse. It all began when I decided to attempt the “matura”, which is the equivalent to the HSC, whilst working in ICU in Vienna. I did this with the view in mind to perhaps once go to university. The “matura” preparations overlapped with my twelve months ICU certificate course and even though some people discouraged me and did not think it was possible to do all this, I passed with flying colours and high distinctions (I wish I could have retained this energy forever).

To reward myself after seven years of work and study, I took a year off and traveled around the world, a trip that took me the first time in my life to Australia where I met my husband (a local resident and University of Wollongong graduate). I spent three months in Wollongong and learnt to appreciate its beauty and the university’s unique location and serenity and brilliant sporting facilities.

Our sense of adventure, however, made us move on and we lived the next four years in the U.K., where I gained clinical experience in a wide variety of health care settings. Popular demand for foreign language teachers encouraged me to gain a formal teaching qualification and I taught German part time up until we left to return to Australia to settle here permanently.

I found work in Wollongong and finally approached the university to find out about opportunities for my nursing career. I was received with open arms and people invested a lot of time and effort into explaining ways the Australian nursing education system and health care system works. I was advised very well which course would be most suited to my needs and I finally enrolled in a postgraduate certificate in nursing and started my course in Autumn 2000.

I was working full time and it was important to me to be able to progress slowly, one subject at the time. I needed this time as I was still settling in and because the way university study is different from my original nursing training. I learned to use computers more effectively, tackle the internet, undertake library searches, use databases, write academic essays, and after all, I improved my English dramatically.

University study is not daunting anymore, it is hard work but fun. I discovered how much knowledge is out there in the nursing world and ways to tap into it. My course, and in particular subjects GHMB 950 (Reflective Practice I) and GHMB 951 (Reflective Practice II), have been real eye openers and waken my interest in research.

I will graduate in December 2001 and there is a good chance that I will come back for more.

To everyone out there whose nursing training was in the old style, don’t be afraid.

Come and have a go, it is exciting to be in this nurturing environment. You will meet people who are in the same boat, international postgraduate nursing students and nurses from a variety of health care settings. It’s only a small step for you, but a huge leap for your personal and professional development