The best thing about a nursing career is there are no limits or restrictions to locations and settings.

Whitney Holmes - Ngati Kuri

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Growing up Whitney always admired her grandmother and aunt for their work as registered nurses, and wanted to follow in their footsteps. But, after finishing high school Whitney felt she needed to have a gap year. That one gap year turned into several years but she never stopped thinking about applying for a nursing degree.

“I kept putting it off and then, one day after the Christmas rush was over, I thought it’s now or never, so I handed in my application and never looked back.”

Of Ngati Kuri descent, Whitney says she’d looked at other Polytechnics but chose Otago Polytechnic because it offered cultural support.

“The reputation of Otago Polytechnic and the nursing school stood out and I had whanau support to help me with my studies.”

Whitney completed the Certificate of Heath before studying for the Bachelor of Nursing.

“The Certificate of Health provided me with a pathway back into studying and set the standards and expectations required for the Bachelor of Nursing. For me, the best parts of the degree programme were the academic staff working in partnership with the students in clinical placements to ensure we had the best learning experience possible, the state of the art technology in the simulation laboratories, and the friends I made along the way.”

After graduating, Whitney relocated to Brisbane where she accepted a position working in a large aged care Brisbane facility.

“The skills and knowledge gained within my Bachelor of Nursing programme enabled me to transition into working as a registered nurse in any area with confidence.  I now work in a mental health where every day I learn and grow in my practice as a registered nurse.”

Photo credit: Mat Wiggins

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Whitney Holmes - Ngati Kuri

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