Emily

Jan 31, 2023

NSW

Graduate enrolled nurse Emily Lockley says the first year she spent at Westmead Private totally changed her outlook on life.

“Though I enjoyed school, I didn’t receive the ATAR needed to apply for courses at university,” Emily said.

“This was disheartening at first, but I discovered alternate pathways and jumped straight into a TAFE Diploma. From there I landed a one-year contract graduate position at Westmead and I’m pleased to say that turned into a permanent position at the hospital and I couldn’t be happier.”

Emily regards learning on the job as one of the best aspects of her work.

“Many skills that are used in a variety of workplace settings and everyday life can be applied and adapted to nursing, but these can also be learnt and strengthened on the job as well,” she said.

“It is also inspiring to work with people every day who push themselves through some extremely tough recoveries, and still manage a positive mindset despite their situations.

“At the end of each shift, I go home knowing that I have made a difference in someone’s life, even if it was only something small and every day, I start my shift excited to learn and see new things.”

Emily said the support provided to graduate nurses at Ramsay is outstanding.

“You’ll be working with a multi-disciplinary team of highly trained and diverse professionals. Everyone understands your position and doesn’t expect you to know it all straight away, let along be perfect at what you do,” she said.

“Support will come from not only educators and managers. You will also find it from other nurses, physiotherapists, doctors, from cleaners, kitchen staff and people in administration if you are lucky enough to be part of Team Ramsay.”

Emily was in the August 2021 intake of the Ramsay Health Care Graduate and Intern Fellowship Program. For more information about this program, click here.