Written by Mia Elliott
If you look up Nursing on Google, it will probably say something like “Nursing is a science-based, ethical profession focused on promoting health, preventing illness, and providing care to individuals, families and communities of all ages and settings.” But Nursing is so much more!
My journey to Nursing has been a whirlwind. I never really had an interest in Nursing before the age of 11. I wanted to be a teacher; I remember this being my go-to dress up in Primary School. My curiosity for Nursing came from my Dad being in hospital. He was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer at 41 years old. He was living in hospital for months until the end. I was inspired by the amazing Nurses I had got to know over those few months and I thought Nursing was an interesting career path.
With a career in Nursing in the back of my mind, I completed Primary school and the foundational years of High-School before visiting the NSW Health Stand at a Careers Expo. I was told about the School-Based Traineeship program. This program is for Year 11 and 12 students who have an interest in Nursing. I applied and got the interview, which was so exciting and nerve-racking. I got the Traineeship and started working in my hometown hospital of Tamworth.
My traineeship gave me an understanding of the foundations of Nursing and the hospital system. It boosted my confidence and equipped me with skills such as patient interaction, personal care, emotional as well as mental support. It also provided me with lifelong friendships.
Whilst completing my last year of my School- Based Traineeship, I applied for the Early Advantage Program at Charles Sturt University to continue my studies after High School. I was accepted into the Early Advantage Program before sitting the HSC. The skills I have learnt during my first year have been pivotal in my first ever placement experience in August of this year.
The essential skills required for placement in the first year of the Bachelor of Nursing Degree include:
- Basic personal care
- Injections
- Oral medications
- Wound care
- Primary and secondary surveys, risk assessments, head-to-toe assessments, mobility assessments, pressure injury assessments, skin assessments
- Medication safety and medication orders
- Drug calculations
- An understanding of the perioperative period, intraoperative period & postoperative period
- Knowledge on how to prevent complications
- Documentation and reporting
Throughout the year, I have enjoyed the clinical labs. Clinical labs equip student Nurses with the skills needed to attend placement. We also get to do heaps of cool stuff with some amazing lecturers! Thursday labs were the best with Maddy and Bec. My favourite skill learned this year was oral medications and injections. I felt so nervous completing these skills!
Throughout my time living on campus at Port Macquarie, I have made some amazing forever friends. Living in a group environment with no-one you have met before really forces you to mingle and meet new people. Coming from Tamworth and only knowing three other people was challenging. Port Macquarie was a new place and a new home for me.
During classes, especially in our lab classes, we were sorted into groups. This is how we mingled and were able to meet new students. I have made some amazing friends during my time on campus and in the first year of my degree. I am forever grateful to anxious 18 year old me for taking the big leap and moving away from home because it has been so very worth it. I would highly recommend it to everyone after leaving high school.
I attended my first ever placement in August of this year. I applied for the Port Macquarie Private Cadetship Program and was lucky enough to receive an offer to be a Cadet! This program includes attending Placements at the Port Macquarie Private Hospital or any Ramsay Health Facility. It was amazing and I have learnt so many new skills from it. The staff were amazing, and it felt like home. Some of the Cadets were offered Assistant in Nursing positions starting at the beginning of 2026.
Overall, it was a great first Placement and I cannot wait for what’s next. Let’s go Second Year!
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