21
February
2020
|
07:21
Australia/Melbourne

Following a dream to upskill

As 2020 is the Year of the Nurse and Midwife, Bupa is acknowledging nurses by sharing a number of stories and highlighting the professionalism shown by the aged care nursing workforce.

When Adeline Reuben begins her third year of Bachelor of Nursing study in March, she’ll be completing her final six months of hard work, sacrifice, growth and development.

Adeline came to Bupa as a caregiver from Fiji in 2012, after a ten year registered nursing career back home.

“Caregiving was a good start but I wanted to do what I had trained for back home and I’ve got a lot of experience to use in a nursing role”.

As a child, Adeline travelled with her parents to South America on missionary work, which helped her decide on a career in nursing. At the age of 18 she attended the Fiji School of Nursing through a scholarship and graduated at 21.

With a lack of resources but lots of knowledge and practical skills, Adeline held positions in Fiji as an obstetric nurse, emergency nurse and community nurse. She even remembers a time when she carried heavy bags on her back, filled with medical supplies, through swamps and bush to get to patients.

The Bupa scholarship has allowed Adeline to undertake the three year Wintec Bachelor of Nursing course, which she found both rewarding and challenging.

“As a 35 year old and considered a mature student, age made study a little more difficult. Adding to the fact that I have two children aged 6 and 1. I also had to work on my computer skills around referencing and research as we’d always used books in Fiji for nursing assignments”.

The exams have proven to be the easiest part for her but she says juggling both full time working and full time studying meant she relies on her husband to run the household.

“My husband has been my greatest strength, he took over the household responsibilities and coordinated the kids. This allowed me to keep my mind focussed solely on study”.

Adeline acknowledges the course has enabled her to expand her knowledge on evidence based nursing practise and safe practise.

Adeline thanks her Rossendale Care Home team in Hamilton for their encouragement and support through her study time, and she encourages others to take the plunge and upskill at any age.

“Always follow your dream, it’s not about how intelligent you are but how hard you work to fulfil that dream. You can achieve anything in life it but it depends on your attitude, effort and focus”.