Lauren Berg

I was born and raised in Sydney, and went to Fort Street High School. I came straight to university after graduating. I knew I wanted to do something in health care because it has always interested me. In particular, I felt that nursing was the most patient-centred of all health professions – I am so passionate about helping people. I believe it’s so important to help others, and it’s something that we all need to do more of. That’s why I thought nursing would be a good fit for me; it’s more than just skills; it relies on qualities and characteristics that I feel I possess. 

I chose to study at UTS because I found out that it’s ranked as the #1 nursing school in Australia. I was also so impressed when I did a tour of the laboratories – I felt that all of the equipment, the rooms and the labs were very up-to-date and high quality. Further, when I spoke to students who attended UTS, I got the impression that they really loved nursing! They couldn’t stop talking about how much they enjoyed it – and I was inspired by their enthusiasm.

The most notable part of my degree so far has been the placements – every single one of them! They have all been so different but equally interesting, and they are always fun but also challenging. Going on placement is a steep learning curve, but I find them to be just as valuable as the time I spend in class learning content with tutors learning content.

Also, the experiences you have and the people you meet on placements are truly amazing. I can still recall patients I’ve met on my first placement because their stories have stayed with me. It’s incredible to think that I’ve only been on clinical placements for a total of seven weeks so far, and I already have so many experiences and stories. I can’t imagine how many I’ll have at the end of my degree, let alone in my career. 

Studying this degree has made me more aware and more compassionate towards other people. I think these traits are the cornerstones of nursing; when you’re treating someone, you’re forced to consider their situation and put yourself into their shoes. While you are caring for a person, you never know where they’re coming from and you have to be respectful of that. It’s a skill that I have been able to integrate into the rest of my life – to always be compassionate and kind because you do never what someone else is going through.

In the future, I want to complete my graduate position somewhere in Sydney; there are plenty of great options! Afterwards however, I want to travel. That’s another reason why was interested in nursing, because it is such a well-received profession in so many countries that I can travel and find work – I’ve been thinking about Europe, or New Zealand. To be able to go somewhere different and experience nursing from a different cultural perspective would be amazing.

To a future nursing student, I would say to make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons. I feel like some people do nursing as a last resort. However, to become a good nurse, and to enjoy the degree, it has to be something that you care about and feel invested in. Otherwise, you’re not going to get the most out of it and you won’t enjoy it. Some things are hard to do as a nurse and you really have to be passionate about the profession to make it all worth the while!

Find out more about the Bachelor of Nursing at UTS