Hobart nurse Lucy Gardam is passionate about her career and the vital importance it holds in the community, which is one of the reasons she is constantly striving to improve her clinical knowledge and skills.
Currently studying her third postgraduate course, her main goal is to become the first qualified Nurse Practitioner in Anaesthesia in Tasmania, honing her clinical and leadership skills along the way.
“I’m trying to push all of the boundaries and break all of the glass ceilings,” she said.
Lucy grew up in Hobart and, since starting her career as a Registered Nurse, she has completed a Graduate Diploma of Nursing and a Master of Clinical Nursing through the University of Tasmania. And she has recently started studying a Master of Nurse Practitioner.
Lucy is a devoted advocate for her fellow nurses and loves the career she has chosen. Yet she went to some extreme lengths to avoid it when she was younger.
“My parents both trained as nurses and so, of course, I rebelled against following in their footsteps,” she said.
“Mum always said ‘you need a degree!’ So, I decided I wanted to do one that was as far from nursing as possible and started a Bachelor of Theatre Production in Melbourne.
“After a year of studying theatre production, I realised that finding steady employment, or even casual work, in theatre and events management was going to be difficult. Then someone suggested the Navy to me. So, I walked into a recruitment office and signed a four-year contract with no idea what I was getting myself into.”
Somewhat ironically, Lucy ended up as a Medical Sailor and qualified as an Enrolled Nurse through the Navy and TAFE.
“Hanging out in the sick bay with medics changed my mind, I decided I liked medical stuff after all,” she said.
After leaving the Navy and having a family, Lucy started work as an Enrolled Nurse at a private hospital in Perth, WA, and later moved back to Tasmania to work at the Royal Hobart Hospital.
But she soon realised her career progression would be limited without a Registered Nurse qualification, and she wanted to work in anaesthesia. So, she studied a Bachelor of Nursing.
“That was when I discovered how much I loved studying and learning,” she said. “And I was keen to increase my rate of pay, since postgraduate allowances apply in my organisation.”
And thanks to an industry partnership between the Tasmanian Health Service and the University of Tasmania, Lucy was able to continue her learning journey more affordably.
“I was able to get a scholarship for reduced fees for undertaking postgraduate study. So, I completed a Graduate Diploma.
“Then, during the start of the covid pandemic, I did a short course called SURGE to upskill in the intensive care space as part of the covid response plan.
“That got me interested in doing more postgraduate study. So, I did a Master of Clinical Nursing and finished that in 2021.”
Being able to complete her postgraduate studies entirely online was beneficial for Lucy, as it allowed her to continue balancing work and parenting alongside her studies. And having the tuition fees discounted through her employer reduced the financial sting as well.
As she continues her clinical knowledge development, Lucy is also a casual teacher for postgraduate nursing students at the University, and encourages other nurses to consider upgrading their qualifications to boost their careers.
“There’s a lot of nurses out there who have been working for 20 years, with advanced skills in some areas, but they don’t have the formal qualifications to back up that knowledge,” she said.
“So, it’s not just a matter of personal improvement, it’s also about having that bit of paper to back up your on-the-job experience.
Are you ready to take the next step in your nursing career? If you work for one of our leading healthcare industry partners, you could be eligible for tuition fee waivers or discounts for your course.