Maitland Grossmann High School student passionate about palliative care

And while that would deter some, the Maitland Grossmann High School student cannot wait to become a palliative care nurse. 

She wants to help make the final chapter of a person’s life the best it can be – and she’s started her journey towards that through a school-based traineeship. 

The year 12 student has been completing a Certificate III in Health Services Assistant (Acute Care) with Hunter New England Health and gaining firsthand experience at Maitland Hospital. 

Once she receives her certificate at the end of the year she can start working as an Assistant In Nursing (AIN). 

The fast-tracked path to her dream career has an added bonus – she can earn an income in a field she loves while she studies a nursing degree. 

“It gives you a head start in your career and it allows you to make connections in the workplace,” she said.

“I’ll be able to work while I go to university and study nursing and get my palliative care qualification.

“This has been a massive opportunity for me, I haven’t even finished school and I’m already working towards my career.

“Heaps of people don’t realise that this kind of thing is out there; they go right through senior school and start going to TAFE or uni and get into their career after that.

“I like being a trainee and when I can do all of the things the registered nurses can do I’ll be happy.”

Lucy’s dedication to her studies earned her the School Based Trainee of the Year at the Hunter Training Awards last month. She will now vie for the state title in Sydney in September.  

Lucy is now able to do a range of tasks during her eight hour shift at the hospital. She longs for the day she is fully trained and can do everything a registered nurse does. 

She’s already experienced the surgical ward, the medical ward and also helped in maternity.

“I do all of the observations, I help set up for breakfast especially with patients who have lost their motor skills, do all the showers and brushing dentures, help people who need bed baths and whatever else the day brings,” she said. 

So why does she want to pursue this path? It stems from an experience she had when she was 12. 

“I helped my nan look after my granddad when he was at the end of his life – that was when I was 12 – and since then that’s what I’ve wanted to do. Before that I wanted to be a special needs teacher,” she said. 

“He looked after us so often so it was us giving back to him. I want to go into palliative care because I like looking after people and their family and comforting them.”