NICOLE Bond says country people have much to offer the nursing profession. She grew up on a sheep and beef farm near Ōtorohanga. PHOTO: SIGRID CHRISTIANSEN
Nicole Bond from the Ōtorohanga district will study nursing at Waikato this year; she is part of an historically large student intake.
The 24-year-old chose the university to be close to family, which was very important to her. Nicole had considered studying to be a paramedic, but the only course options were in Auckland or Wellington, which did not appeal.
Nicole said she felt people from rural backgrounds made good nurses because farming districts had a culture of helping others.
She remembers growing up, her family’s neighbour would come over and help her dad with big jobs on the farm.
She also feels that sense of caring.
“I love helping people,” she said.
Nicole said country nurses had a lot to offer rural people in hospital.
“Being able to make connections with those people and saying, ‘I’m from around the area’; they will bring that trustworthiness and closeness,” she said.
The student nurse will “definitely, definitely” welcome a chance to work in the King Country after graduation, but is otherwise “very open to going anywhere that they want to send me.”
Acting dean of Te Huataki Waiora School of Health Dr Jo Lane said the increased numbers in the 2023 nursing intake were part of a response to severe staff shortages in the health workforce.
Nicole was one of 211 new registered nursing entrants at the university this year, which was more than twice as many as in 2022, Jo said.
Waikato is unusual in New Zealand in offering graduate entry nursing, which allows students with a bachelor’s degree to study nursing for two years instead of three.
“At a time when the health workforce is in crisis, it’s imperative that we do everything possible to enable students wanting to enroll in health training,” Jo said.
Many of this year’s students are coming to the profession with prior life experience, as graduate entrants or mature age students.
“We have nearly 70 students starting this year who are wanting to change careers to become nurses. That is just so encouraging, particularly given the rich life experiences they will bring to the profession.
“I can’t wait to see them graduate and enter the workforce at the end of next year.”
Nicole’s life experience has included time spent exploring two other careers. She first studied agriculture at Telford in the South Island after finishing school; she also worked in early childhood education.
The former was a default decision based on her background on a sheep and beef farm.
Jo described the university’s nursing programme as one that takes into account the social justice side of healthcare.
“We’re really pleased to welcome so many high-quality nursing students to study.
“The University of Waikato is the newest provider of nursing programmes, developing and delivering these in partnership with Te Whatu Ora Waikato, with an emphasis on equity, mental health and addictions, and Māori and Pacific health,” he said.
