HESTA & ANF – Helping our Future Nurses

HESTA and ANF are proud to announce the winners of 2011 HESTA/ANF Student Member Awards, and acknowledge all students who took the time to enter and share with us why they chose nursing as a career.

Entries for this year’s award were up three fold on last year, and the standard of entries impressed the judges. Winners were announced at the Annual Delegates’ Conference (ADC) by sponsor Alison Dixon from HESTA.

Congratulations to our winners Whitney Bowerman, Vanessa Bate and Colleen Grubb. Vanessa and Colleen attended ADC to receive their prize of $500 and $250 consecutively, and Whitney took a break from exam study to come to the ANF office for a presentation of her $750 prize. All three students were grateful to HESTA and ANF for giving them the opportunity to enter these awards.

Nursing – your chosen career.

What does nursing mean to you and how will you achieve your career goals?

1st – Whitney Bowerman – UTAS Hobart

For the small child who has taken a ‘vow of silence’ because they are frightened of the big hospital, The nurse is there, For the old man who can remember the food he ate during the war but not where his bathroom is, The nurse is there, For the angry friend shaking his fists and yelling in the emergency room, The nurse is there, For the worried mother who cannot understand her child’s diagnosis, The nurse is there, For the quiet patient who hasn’t been eating much and hasn’t had a visitor in two weeks, The nurse is there, For the shy teenager horrified that he has a catheter at nineteen, The nurse is there. The clown, The guide, The calming influence, The knowledge, The connection, The changing factor, The cause of a smile, That’s what nursing means to me……..

Student Award Winner Whitney Bowerman with Alison Dixon from HESTA

2nd – Vanessa Bate – UTAS Launceston

I am really surprised by people when they ask me why I’ve decided to study nursing. I’ve come to the conclusion these people don’t see what I see. I see flexibility and diversity in a career that is changing all the time and one that can support me and my family. I also see a career that is highly professional and gives you the ability to continue to grow in any chosen field. Through life experiences I have developed a passionate interest in mental health and aged care and can see myself working in either, or a combination of the two when qualified. This then brings on further gasps of disbelief as it also appears to be the most avoided and feared areas of nursing. Hopefully, by working in these two areas I’ll make just the slightest difference to our mature citizens and the mentally unwell within the community…….. Some people are born to be nurses…that’s me. After 40 years I’m now sure of it.

3rd – Colleen Grubb – UTAS Launceston

Nursing is something that I have always wanted to do. In 1976 I got married and two years later, my first child was born. A beautiful baby girl but not a normal healthy baby…… My daughter was totally dependent on my care for all aspects of daily living, which at times was very difficult due to her inability to speak, her lack of mobility and a range of other challenges. Rachel passed away in October 2009. My love for nursing started 31 years before I was able to start fulfilling my dream. She has become my inspiration to go on and obtain my degree in Nursing. … When Rachel passed away I promised her that I would use the knowledge I gained from her life to benefit others.

Alison Dixon and Don Wishart from HESTA with winners Colleen Grubb and Vanessa Bate