Melbourne nursing students experiencing work in COVID-19 frontline

CQUniversity student Emma Keating is currently experiencing first-hand what it is like to work on the frontline of a global pandemic.

In the final weeks of her Graduate Certificate in Nursing (re-entry) course' Emma Keating has learnt more on the ground during a pandemic than she could have ever gained during a 'normal' placement situation.

"My donning and doffing skills and appropriate use of PPE are the best they have ever been'"

Ms Keating said.

"While this may not have been the experience I was expecting' it is one that has taught me valuable skills to use moving forward."

Ms Keating has just completed her placement at a hospital in Melbourne as part of the required 160 hours of industry-based learning' where she was joined by three fellow CQU students.

"We were initially completing the placement in the theatres and did two of the four weeks there however when elective surgeries were reduced due to the pandemic we were reallocated to the wards'"

Ms Keating explained of the experience.

"As the COVID-19 numbers in Melbourne then started to increase again' I was convinced that placement would be cancelled. As elective surgeries were reduced gradually' the four of us could see the writing on the wall and on the Wednesday of week two' we were told the placement was being cancelled after Friday."

The devastating blow didn't last however and Ms Keating' along with her fellow CQU colleagues' were soon notified that the hospital would continue the student's placements.

"As we only had two weeks of placement left before we could complete the course' they realised the importance of getting us through with the aim of bolstering the nursing workforce in Victoria'"

Ms Keating said.

"We were then re-assigned to the wards for our final nine shifts which I have just completed.

"I am very grateful that they continued the placement."

Prior to enrolling in CQU's course' Ms Keating had been a Registered Nurse but due to time away from the profession' she required re-registration.

"I had a break of nine years from nursing due to having three children and a husband who worked long hours in a demanding job so the time was just never right to go back until recently' now that the kids are at school and kinder'"

Ms Keating said.

The mum-of-three enrolled with CQU as it is one of the few universities that offers the Graduate Certificate in Nursing (re-entry) online.

"I needed that flexibility so that I could complete the course during school hours and around my family commitments. CQU was the only university who said that they would try and get placement in my speciality area of nursing and while this unfortunately didn't happen as placements were hard to come by due to COVID' I was grateful in the end to just have a placement and the opportunity to complete my Grad Cert."