" A good bedside nurse is an advocate for the patient, ensuring they receive the best possible care from all members of the multidisciplinary team. "

MAY 2022: JULIA BURRELL, SHORT STAY UNIT, GRADUATE NURSE

Nurses have always been a part of my life. As a young child I loved listening to the stories from my mother and her friends who worked as nurses in a variety of different settings. During my studies, I developed a keen interest in healthcare and was always intrigued by the variety of medical settings and the opportunities that present in each area to specialise.

I completed my Diploma of Nursing straight out of VCE at RMIT University. I was employed for a year as an Enrolled Nurse, then decided that I wanted to continue my studies in nursing and completed a Bachelor of Nursing at Latrobe University.

I began my university studies just before the start of the pandemic. Like everyone else, adjusting to online learning was a challenge. Nursing is very much a hands-on profession so it was particularly difficult to view online videos of procedures and grasp the reality. The most frustrating challenge was the cancellation of placements, so I took every opportunity when I got on placement to gain hands on experience of new situations and settings.

After having a placement as a student at Peter Mac I got a wonderful sense of the culture and the care the nurses deliver. I had a key interest in learning more about oncology and what a better place than Peter Mac to learn about this speciality.

I was fortunate to gain employment as a Registered Nurse (RN) as part of the Graduate Nurse Program in the February 2022 intake. I am currently completing my first rotation on the Short Stay Unit and will then rotate to Ward 6A which is the Surgical Oncology Unit. I am passionate about my new role as a graduate RN and love the challenge of learning something new every day. To begin with, it was a bit nerve wracking to take a patient load by myself but I have managed well and appreciate the support, feedback and guidance I receive from my mentors.

I am committed to equality in health care for all, regardless of their socioeconomic status. I enjoy supporting and assisting others and working together with other health professionals as part of a team. A good bedside nurse is an advocate for the patient, ensuring they receive the best possible care from all members of the multidisciplinary team. They should listen to the patients concerns, requests and needs with care and compassion.

In the future, I see myself working in a setting that prioritises health care for women. I also would like to extend my qualifications with post grad studies, but for now I am focusing on consolidating my skills and completing my graduate year.