Registered Nurse Angela Serena returned to Griffith University in 2020 to take on the Bachelor of Midwifery and achieve her dream of becoming a midwife
Angela says her studies and experience in the workforce has built a confidence in her she didn’t have before university and helped her find her passion.
“I love health and I love helping others; looking back, I can’t imagine myself doing anything else,” she says.
“Before I began university the first time, I was very quiet and shy. Throughout my years studying, I have grown more confident in myself and self-assured.
“Most importantly, I learned to be kind to myself and I cannot stress how much of a game changer that is.
“My advice to future students is simply to be kind to yourself and just do your best, because that is all anyone expects from you.”
Angela says this can be particularly hard for students studying health, due to the combination of study, placements and clinical requirements of many of the courses.
“Health degrees such as nursing and midwifery do expect a lot from their students – we graduate with registration that enables us to immediately enter the workforce, so of course we have to build those skills to a very high level before we finish university,” she says.
“Health professionals are notoriously good at caring for others, but not for themselves. One thing that I wish I knew completing my first degree is that I should try not to stretch myself out too thin between work and university.
“It is important to be organised, but even more so, to look after yourself.”
While her degrees have had a large practical component, Angela says she wouldn’t have it any other way as she recognises the importance of her work integrated learning.
“Learning that way truly does help you understand and relate theory to practice,” she says.
“And there simply is so much to learn, not just in knowledge, but in watching others and how they work differently.”
Angela has just commenced the first placement of her midwifery degree; having complete many whilst studying nursing, she says she still started this placement with a combination of nervousness and excitement.
“I am always nervous when I start a new placement and meet new people, but I just do my best in every moment,” she says.
“I am one fortnight in, and I have been thoroughly enjoying it so far. The hospital and staff working there are so lovely and supportive.
“I’d always wanted to work at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital as a nurse, and now I get to complete my midwifery placements here and enjoy the hospital and all I’m learning.”
If like Angela you have a dream of becoming a midwife, find out more about Griffith’s flexible Bachelor of Midwifery program on our website. Placements are available at Logan, Redlands, Toowoomba, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast University Hospitals and aspiring students can identify their preference of where to complete their placement during their QTAC application.
