My name is Tanika and I am a recent graduate of USC Caboolture! I became interested in studying nursing after I found myself becoming very passionate for providing patient care. As a veterinary nurse, I was able to provide care for animals, but always thought that I could further my career and passion to help people who needed it most. After considering it for a few years, I decided to apply to university! Three years on, I am now proud to call myself a registered nurse.

What did you enjoy most about studying at USC Caboolture?

It’s hard to pick only a few things about USC Caboolture. I loved the support that was offered at USC, the lecturers and tutors are all very open and helpful. Having a smaller campus allowed for smaller classes and more lab time allowing us to advance in our learning.

What did you learn on placements that particularly stood out to you?

Placements were one of the best parts of studying nursing! I learnt a variety of skills – from communication all the way through to taking a patient load, which was so inspiring. At first, you feel like you may be a fish out of water, but by the second week of your placement, you are confident and realise you know more than you think you do. There is more than one occasion that stands out to me, but in particular just feeling involved in patient care and having families praise you is something that will stay with me forever.

Where do you hope your career will take you?

I’ve always wanted  to fulfil my dreams of becoming a neonatal nurse. Helping families and newborns go through a difficult stage is something that inspires me and is something that I hold close to my heart.

I’ve been lucky enough to secure a new graduate registered nurse program in neonatology, where I will be able to work closely with families and neonates.