Meet the nursing leaders of the future: Part four

Although Kathryn has worked in both rural and metropolitan areas her passion is ensuring equality in access to renal services in rural and remote communities and giving back to the area she grew up in. Kathryn is also keen to be involved in leadership and management, research and educational opportunities.

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In 2015 Beau began his new Graduate year at Wagga Wagga Rural Referral Hospital (WWRRH) where he gained experience in cardiac care and mental health nursing. This helped him develop a passion for critical care, leadership in nursing and an interest in regional health care. Following Beau’s graduate year he transitioned into intensive care. After three years of working at WWRRH Beau took up a new chapter in life, setting off to explore the world with his wife and work in regional and remote parts of Australia. Beau currently works in the emergency department at the Royal Darwin Hospital and is enthusiastically pursuing a career in leadership.

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Stephen co-manages the Medication Safety Standard port-folio for his worksite and is currently part of a working group tasked with improving the assessment and prescribing of VTE prophylaxis medications for clients. Stephen has bachelor degrees in Nursing and Public Relations and has worked in both metropolitan and rural hospitals’ over the past several years. Due to his ongoing work in country areas, and the support of his nursing and midwifery colleagues, Stephen was recognised as a finalist in the ‘Rural Health Award’ category at the South Australian Young Achievers awards in 2018. Stephen also recently wrote in ACN’s Men in Nursing eBook detailing his experiences in this ever-growing and changing industry.

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Liam now works in Western Sydney as a Paediatric Oncology Nurse and has always had a passion for helping children and their families through one of their toughest journeys in life – childhood cancer. Liam’s other clinical interests include Infection prevention and control as well as critical care nursing. He is dedicated to his continued professional development as shown through his involvement in many hospital quality improvement projects as well as currently completing his masters of advanced nursing practice, focusing on improvements in new graduate support programs. In 2020, Liam hopes that the ENL program will be the perfect forum to help him expand himself as an early career nurse leader as well as gain the right tools and knowledge to help educate and support other nurses wanting to advance within the nursing profession.

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While completing her graduate year Hollie also attained her Honours Degree in Nursing. She completed the inaugural Transition to Specialty Practice program in Frankston Emergency Department in 2017, obtained her Graduate Diploma in Emergency Nursing in 2018 and is continuing her studies with Monash University in 2019 to complete her Master of Nursing degree (Emergency Stream).

Hollie is thrilled to be a part of the ACN ENL program and is enjoying the collegiality and mentorship the program provides. Hollie has a passion for education and learning and hopes to combine this with leadership roles in the future.

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Her experience in care coordination, support programs, and eHealth has given Lavanya an in-depth view of the needs and requirements of quality patience centred care. Lavanya also has a strong interest in promoting the development and excellence of the nursing profession. She thoroughly enjoys her time spent with family and fitness. Being drawn to a profession that is naturally people focus, caring and nurturing mean it was easy to pursue a career in nursing.

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Through her experiences of patients in acute mental health crisis, Shannon co-founded a program of suicide awareness raising in Canberra in 2019.  Health professionals from across the disciplines, as well as global and local businesses and the public have come together to raise funds for evidence-based research.  Collaboration is now underway with a national mental health and counselling provider to design a resilience training program for ED staff.

Prior to completing her nursing studies, Shannon worked locally and overseas in youth, social welfare and innovation programs, as a member of the ACT Ministerial Youth Advisory Council for 8 years, as a member of the Social Leaders’ Immersion Program.

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Lucy writes a regular column on ACN’s NurseClick blog, “The Scrubs that Fit“, which talks about her experiences as an early career nurse. Lucy is the chair of the ACN Next Generation Community of Interest of Next Generation and has been in the Emerging ENL Program for three years as a high achiever recipient. In 2019 Lucy received the Eric Murray Achiever award whilst studying her Graduate certificate in Paediatric and neonatal emergency care with the ACN. She looks forwards to the coming year of the ENL program and is excited to be a part of this program.

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Over the years, Catelyn has worked with a number of organisations including the Oaktree Foundation, AusAID and Young People Without Borders when she lived and worked in the Solomon Islands. In 2012, she was a finalist in the Tasmanian Southern Cross Young Achievers award for Social Entrepreneurship. Catelyn now works as a nurse at the Royal Children’s Hospital and as a research assistant at Monash University.

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Amelia is grateful to be part of the ACN Emerging Nurse Leader program. She is currently working at the Warwick Hospital in the Emergency Department. After completing a Bachelor of Nursing from the University of Southern Queensland in 2016, she was fortunate to receive a position in Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service Nurse graduate program in 2017.  Amelia is passionate about  health policy and governance and hopes to be involved and learn more about this area whilst participating in the program. Amelia is excited to get to know and work alongside the other ENLs to reach their potential and truly make a difference.

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Suzanne graduated as a nurse a couple of decades ago in Switzerland and is completing her Master of Nursing (Clinical Leadership) this year after previously completing the Bachelor of Nursing Science Honours degree at the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC). Her clinical settings are community and primary health care nursing and she loves to share her passion with the first-year undergraduate students she tutors at USC. Chairing the USC Nursing & Midwifery Alumni Network and engaging with ACN as an ENL and active member allows her to enjoy and share many of the different and fulfilling aspects of this great profession of nursing. As the communications coordinator of the ACN Community & Primary Health Care Community of Interest Suzanne is privileged to work with an innovative and passionate team who support #NursesWhereYouNeedThem. Her main motto as both an ‘old’ and ‘new’ nurse is #NursesNurtureTheirYoung. She hopes to grow the movement to value and support nurses and make sure they are in the right places and heard.

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In 2017 Loretta gained a position in the emergency short stay unit at Townsville Hospital and has completed a two-month secondment in the Emergency Department. Loretta is also on her way to completing her Master of Nursing (Education) degree through James Cook University and has also decided to pursue leadership in her career goals.  Loretta is the Health and Safety Representative in the Emergency Short Stay Unit and is proactive in this area. I

In her spare time, she volunteers as a first responder/driver for Queensland Ambulance, assisting the one paramedic station of Giru, and volunteers in her local community at the Cungulla Recreational Fishing and Social Club. Loretta also enjoys cruise conferences where she can tie in education on a holiday.

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Luke graduated from Griffith University where he was a very active undergraduate student representative involved in advocating for leadership opportunities in Peer Lead Simulated Learning, an International Student Representative to South East Asia while promoting the overall student experience. Luke remains committed to the professional development of all nurses through his active involvement in several organisational committees at Princess Alexandra Hospital as well as working as a Clinical Facilitator and Tutor with Griffith University. He was selected to the prestigious ENL program where he has published, presented and been involved in discussions of nursing policy and practice at both the State and National level. In 2018 Luke was appointed as the Inaugural Chair of the Australian College of Nursing Men In Nursing Working Party where he is leading national strategy to raise the profile of men in nursing, address societal stereotypes of perceptions of men caring and addressing gender imbalance within the nursing profession. Luke prides himself on his diligence, compassion and person orientated care and has a keen interest in quality, safety and improving patient experiences.

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