International Nurses Day - Aspire to Inspire
International Nurses Day is celebrated annually around the world and enables us to celebrate the people who become nurses and their role in providing first-class healthcare to people at their most vulnerable times.
First published on Monash University
International Nurses Day is celebrated annually around the world and enables us to celebrate the people who become nurses and their role in providing first-class healthcare to people at their most vulnerable times. This year we asked some of our students, graduates and academics why they decided to be a nurse, who their role models were and what were their aspirations for the future. We uncovered some great stories
3rd year Bachelor of Nursing student and RUSON nurse, Ash Wilson believes everyone has their ‘why’ for studying nursing but hers was closer to home “My motives for studying nursing was influenced by my role model, Anne Young, a woman who spent over seven years of her life along with many others nursing in Northern India to support the government TB efforts, and she was also my late great aunt. Participating in public health messaging, inpatient and outpatient mobile settings working to coordinate TB outreach programs with the mission of alleviating human suffering. Anne speaks of her own quiet mission better than I ever could, "It annoys me to think that some people just get a raw deal and others have a cushy life. I prefer to do social type of work. I prefer to do it for people who need it."
Ash goes on, “I aspire to become a critical care nurse and apply my knowledge and skills to rural and remote communities with minimally resourced health services. I think it would be an interesting challenge of skill and perseverance to provide healthcare in austere environments and one day would love to take the opportunity to travel overseas and work as a registered nurse. Until then however, my goal is to show up every day and be the best nurse I can be for all patients.”
Monash Nursing and Midwifery graduate Hannah Humphries, chose to pursue a career in nursing and midwifery because she wanted to help and work with people, and have something new and different each and every day. “I think my career has been everything that I'd hoped it would be so far. I have worked and learnt from so many supportive, knowledgeable, and generous colleagues and just have the best fun! Some days are harder than others but the teams that I work in really make all the difference.”
Hannah wanted to be a nurse since primary school but believes that this came from her nan, Anne, and Aunt Pauline. “As much as they both have killer senses of humour and love to be busy, I always admired that their first instinct in any situation was always to care and be generous with their time and knowledge towards whoever was around them. I think that seeing that this career gives you so many futures and so many possibilities to explore really inspired me to follow their lead. Whilst I am still in the early years of my career, I would really love to continue to work in both nursing and midwifery but ultimately, I would love to work in education and return to my rural roots and work regionally."
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For academic Hollie Jaggard, becoming a nurse was a decision she made after working for a few years outside of healthcare. Hollie explains, “I didn’t really know any nurses before choosing this as my future career, I looked at things such as job security, skills, training, growth and diversity opportunities and for the future career options it afforded me. I really was looking for a flexible career that offered many options for future employment with one degree, but also a career that I could expand on, and grow into, with options for extra study later if I wanted to. Nursing looked like it had a lot to offer, and as a student, I loved the idea of being a nurse in the Emergency Department.
My career has exceeded what I thought possible! I completed my degree and graduate year which included a rotation in the Emergency Department, and afterwards I went on to gain permanent employment in the ED where I worked, and then completed an Honours Degree, giving me a taste of research. I completed further study after that, gaining a Masters degree and am now in the early days of completing my PhD and I am a lecturer at Monash University. What a ride so far! I hope in the future to complete my PhD and become more involved in healthcare legislation for the nursing workforce.”
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Graduate Jahred Doumias, chose to study nursing after watching a movie one night, which featured a nurse as the main character. “Whilst watching the movie, it finally hit me. My passion for helping others, and my love for the human body were the perfect mix for a nursing career. I soon realised that I appreciated having a career where there is always room to grow and learn new things. I also love the freedom that nursing gives with the ability to transition into different areas of work.
After completing my Bachelor of Nursing with Monash, I started my career in the emergency department and I quickly learnt that this was a place where people felt vulnerable and more than ever, needed support and reassurance. I found that as a nurse, I was the person who spent the most time with a patient, providing me with the opportunity to advocate for their needs and provide personalised care. Now, in my new field of work, as a Hospital in the Home and District Nurse at West Gippsland Healthcare I feel honoured and privileged to be able to bring that same care into people’s homes where they feel safe. Having only recently commenced my career in community nursing, I look forward to continually consolidating my knowledge and continue being able to provide health care in the comfort of people’s own homes. I have become an advocate for caring for people in their personal environments, and I look forward to growing in my current position where I can encourage and facilitate hospital care in people’s homes."
James Bonnamy, academic with Monash University felt like his path into nursing was destined from the start. “Nursing was intimately woven into the fabric of my existence. I was born into a world of healthcare, at the same hospital where mum worked as a registered nurse. It is as if her passion for nursing was infused into my being from the start. Her work left an indelible mark on me, as I realised that nursing offered a unique opportunity to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives, by helping them during their most vulnerable moments. To say my Mum has been my role model would be an understatement, with a career spanning nearly 40 years, there is not much that she hasn’t seen. Mum’s career began in the burns unit at The Royal Children’s Hospital. Fatefully, I completed my graduate nurse program in the burns unit at The Alfred Hospital, some would say following in her footsteps. My mum has built a career upon a foundation of diverse nursing experience, and seeing how she diversified and pursued qualifications to benefit workplace safety for others has been inspirational to me.
My own career unfolded before me as a path brimming with unexpected opportunities, extending far beyond what I initially imagined. Beyond the confines of traditional hospital settings, nursing has opened doors to a world of diverse experiences and adventures. One of the most exciting aspects has been the ability to travel. I’ve met wonderful people and seen different places, cultures and healthcare systems that have enriched my personal and professional growth. Each experience has deepened my appreciation for the criticality of registered nurses for universal health as well as the many benefits of nurse-led models of care. I’m currently completing a PhD and, in the future, I hope to advocate for and encourage more nurses to complete postgraduate education.”
Monash Nursing and Midwifery is one of the largest schools for education nurses and midwives in Australia and has led change across education, research and healthcare practice for over thirty years.
About Monash University
Monash University is Australia’s largest university, with more than 80,000 students. In the 60 years since its foundation, it has developed a reputation for world-leading high-impact research, quality teaching, and inspiring innovation.
With four campuses in Australia and a presence in Malaysia, China, India, Indonesia and Italy, it is one of the most internationalised Australian universities.
As a leading international medical research university with the largest medical faculty in Australia and integration with leading Australian teaching hospitals, we consistently rank in the top 50 universities worldwide for clinical, pre-clinical and health sciences.
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