Kellie Stuart

My childhood was spent living in many places - from Sydney, to Melbourne to Perth and the USA due to my father travelling extensively for his work. Upon finishing the HSC, I had dreams of studying nursing at UTS but became side-tracked and instead, completed a Bachelor of Business (majoring in Marketing). Because of my ongoing interest in health care, I worked in a pharmacy while studying and upon graduation, took up a graduate traineeship at Sterling Pharmaceuticals.  During my stint in industry, I had the privilege of working with many bright, dedicated and passionate nurses, whom I greatly admired. Whilst my career in sales and brand management at some of Australia’s largest pharmaceutical companies continued for well over a decade, I never lost sight of my dream. 

My passion, first and foremost, is my family: my husband, our two children – now 18 and 16 – and our dog. As a nurse, my passion is to provide quality, evidence-based, patient-centred care. I gained a new graduate position working in anaesthetics and recovery, which requires me to be a strong patient advocate before, during and after surgery. Patient safety is my number one priority. I am enjoying the many challenges of the transition to professional practice. 

I chose to study at UTS as I received my first degree from this university in 1990. I had a very positive experience the first time and so, I decided to return. Many of my nursing friends also recommended the university to me, and it was clear from my research that UTS had the best industry reputation for quality nursing education. 

Going on placement and interacting with patients was the most rewarding aspect of the degree. Knowing that you have made a low point in the patient’s life a little more bearable is very fulfilling. I also enjoyed the combination of lectures, laboratory work and tutorials. In these settings, we covered such diverse content- encompassing pathophysiology, pharmacology, mental health, family and children’s nursing, perioperative nursing, care of the older person, as well as the medical surgical aspects of nursing. The degree also focused on important contemporary issues in nursing such as health policy, professional burnout and Indigenous health.

As I progressed through my studies, I developed superior time management skills, as I was juggling studying, raising a family and working. Entering the degree, I may have been a little naïve about the realities of nursing practice, but over time, I gained a new, but equally rewarding, understanding of the role of the modern nurse. 

My plan for the future is to keep learning every day. That is one of the most amazing things about this profession – nursing is a career in which your professional and personal development never ends. I plan to continue my education with post graduate studies in anaesthetics and recovery nursing within three years. 

To future students, my main advice would have to be to study something you love– otherwise it will be a long few years! I would also say to put 100 percent of yourself into your degree, because the opportunity to experience a university education is still a privilege denied to many. 

Find out more about the Bachelor of Nursing at UTS.