Dave keeps dedication to Nursing in the family
By Greg Chapman
Dave Bruckner is continuing his family’s long legacy of nursing, with his CQUniversity training and dedication making him an asset on the wards at Rockhampton Hospital.
The 50-year-old Diploma of Nursing graduate, who currently works in the Surgical Ward, recently accepted a new position in the hospital’s Day Surgery Unit as an ENAS (Advanced Skilled Enrolled Nurse).
Considering Dave only studied and completed his Diploma at CQU in 2024/2025, the new role certainly tops off a 15-year commitment to local health services.
“I have worked in the health industry for approximately 15 years. I started as an operating theatre orderly for a private hospital where I worked for several years,” he said.
“People don’t usually choose to be in hospital so it’s nice to be there to help them as you can be that person who can really make a difference.
“My mum was a nurse, my wife is a nurse, I have two sister-in-law who are nurses and my daughter also studied her Diploma in Nursing with me so one could say it’s in the family.”
Dave said he worked in mental health as an Assistant-In-Nursing (AIN) while he was studying his Diploma.
“The training was nothing short of amazing. The lecturers were there every step of the way, nothing was too much trouble if you needed help. The facilities were fantastic, from the ward environment to the drug safe in the medication room.
“It was very realistic. The lecturers weren’t just teachers reading from a book, they had real world experiences as nurses themselves which made the process so much more reassuring.”
It was while he was undertaking his final placement in the hospital’s Surgical Ward that he found Rockhampton Hospital was where he wanted to be.
“I found the nurses there to be so helpful, polite, understanding and supportive. I spoke to the Nurse Unit Manager about applying for a position on completion of placement and gaining my AHPRA registration,” he said.
“The CQU training, being so realistic, really set me up for the placement so I wasn’t in too much of a shock getting onto the ward.
“Working as a team is a big culture in nursing - we always help each other where we can.
“The best part about my role as an Enrolled Nurse is job satisfaction, helping patients in a time of need and being part of a supportive team.”
Dave encouraged anyone considering a career in Nursing to pursue the vocation. He even spoke recently to new Diploma of Nursing students during CQU’s 2026 Orientation Week.
“The truth is that nursing is very rewarding, fulfilling and enjoyable. No two days are the same,” he said.
“You never know who you will be looking after: one day it’s a teenager and the next a 102-year-old.
“You will never be out of work if you become a nurse. After a few years of developing your skills there are even opportunities to travel Australia or the world and work as a nurse.”
