International Nurses Day at St Catherine's College
For the last few months, health care workers have been at the forefront of a global pandemic, unlike anything most people alive today have ever experienced. As we have stayed glued to the news awaiting updates and hoping for ease in restrictions, nurses have been working tirelessly to provide care and comfort to people in what can sometimes be the most frightening moment of their lives. The contribution nurses make to our community cannot be understated.
International Nurses Day is observed every year on May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale. To celebrate, we’re featuring two of our residents, Lara Scurria and Shauna Aitken, who are studying nursing.
Shauna is from Perth and is in her first year of studying nursing at the University of Notre Dame in Fremantle.
“I have always been interested in the Health Science sector, and nursing seemed like the perfect fit for me. The hands-on aspect appeals to me, and I am interested in working in intensive care and emergency units.
I think nurses have been pivotal in this ongoing crisis. A nurse’s role during these times spans further than just treatment, with education being critical for our public health.
Hand hygiene is the first thing you learn in the course and has become a more common practice for the general population. The safety of the patient and the surrounding community lies in the nurse’s hands. So the spread of disease in a hospital setting at least is reliant on the nurses’ hygiene routine.”
Shauna Aitken (left) at our O-Week Secret Garden Party
Lara is also in her first year of studying nursing at Notre Dame, and she is currently working as an assistant in nursing at an aged care facility.
“My mum and grandma are nurses so they would always tell me stories from the hospitals and it intrigued me from a young age. Then I did work experience in year 10 in the maternity and paediatric wards at Bunbury Hospital and loved it, which confirmed that nursing is what I wanted to do. I plan on doing a post-grad in midwifery, as my end goal is to become a midwife.”
Another of our residents Harry Bawa is also currently working as an assistant in nursing. We sat down with him for a video interview, which you can check out here.
We’d also like to give a shout-out to Mikaylah Pigram and all our other residents studying nursing!
St Catherine’s College would like to thank all the nurses that have been working so hard to keep us safe and healthy. We are very fortunate to have many wonderful residents and alumni that aspire to help others and serve their communities in a role as crucial as nursing.
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