education level and why i chose it
As many of you may know, I am a Registered Nurse in Australia. This is a University degree, so I have a Bachelor of Nursing (BN). To get into University, I had to complete High School to Year 12. There were certain subjects I needed to complete for my Higher School Certificate- maths and science (biology at a minimum). We also had to get a certain mark in the University Admission Index. (The UAI is awarded to students on the completion of the HSC in NSW. It provided a percentile ranking of peer students of the same age. In New South Wales, the UAI was determined by a combination of the public HSC exams common across all schools at the end of Year 12 and continuing assessment.)
I attended Sydney University. We were not on Main Campus; we were about a 10-minute walk away. It was nice to be on a small campus only for nursing students, but I did miss the atmosphere of the main campus. It is a 3-year degree, and we had practical placement each year. We had 4 weeks practical in 1st year, 6 weeks in 2nd year, and 8 weeks in 3rd year.
I love my job. I chose to go to Uni and get a Tertiary Education as I wanted to get started in my career. And I was in the groove of studying and didn’t want to lose the study momentum. I could have been an Enrolled Nurse first, but I was impatient and wanted to start working! This is a 12-month course at TAFE (Technical and Further Education). In hindsight, maybe I should have gone the TAFE route to get more practical experience, but I learnt a lot on the job once I started work. And I don’t think I would be a Community Nurse now if I didn’t go to university.
sorry that the image is no great… it was taken from another photo!
I also have a Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care from the Australian Catholic University. This was an online course. I did this while I was working in Palliative Care at the time. I love this area, providing holistic care to patients and their families when they are at one of the worst times in their lives, being diagnosed with a life-limiting illness.
I am a certified Death Doula through Australian Doula College. I only finished and received my certificate mid-June.
I also have a Certificate 3 in Animal Studies. I did this before COVID, and got my practical experience at Sydney Dogs and Cats Home.
i have finally finished my course
So, I have finally finished my Death Doula Course.
The course was online. We had 9 months to complete the course. It was through the Australian Doula College. It was a great course, and I had great support throughout the course.
What is Death/End of Life Doula you may ask.
An End-of-Life Doula is a non-medical professional who provides support, guidance, and education to those who are dying and their loved ones. They work in harmony with the client's wishes to maintain their quality of life, well-being, and self-worth until and beyond death. Acting as an "informed companion," the Doula brings comfort, support, and compassion, helping the person and their family feel safe and supported during this critical transition.
The role of a Doula is different from that of a Carer. An EOL Doula can provide a broad range of services depending on individual needs. We work alongside palliative care and other primary health care providers while supporting at the end of life, or death in the home, hospital, aged care facility or hospice.
I have a background and love of Palliative Care Nursing. I am a Registered Nurse with a Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care. I believe I can help people at the end of life. I have always loved my work in Palliative Care. It is so special to be there and supporting families and patients at the end of life.
Although I have finished the course, I am still deciding which direction to head with the qualification. I have a logo for my business, and I am getting some head shots in a few weeks for a website.
So watch this space!
