Sydney ceremony celebrates success
Nearly 100 Bachelor of Nursing students graduated from their fast-track course at a special ceremony in Sydney last night.
The special two-year course is offered by the University of Tasmania in Sydney, allowing students to complete their degree a year earlier than the standard Bachelor of Nursing course.
However, completing the course in two years required focus, determination and hard work, according to many of those who graduated last night.
Sixty-two year old Suzanne Court said determination and the support of her husband had been vital.
“I’ve been working as a nurse for the past 45 years, so for me this is coming back to finish what I started,” Mrs Court said.
“I am very proud of myself and the other students.
“It has been extremely tough – there have been times when I have wanted to pull out. But I got support from my tutors at Darlinghurst, and support from my husband Ray.
“Nursing has been my career. It’s all I’ve done, it’s what I love. It’s what I do.
“I have experienced life, I’ve travelled and done other things, but nursing is what I always come back to.”
Mrs Court said the supportive atmosphere of the course had been uplifting.
“The mood among the students in those last eight weeks was great,” she said.
“The support we were giving each other was just amazing.”
Now that Mrs Court has graduated, her husband Ray is contemplating returning to study next year.
“It’s definitely his turn now,” Mrs Court laughed.
Image: Bachelor of Nursing graduates Raquel Culkin, Erin Reilly, Angela Bowden and Emma Stein.