Mary Roberts
I am passionate about keeping the ‘nursing’ in nursing...
I’m a registered nurse with 30+ (Have I been working that long??) years of experience, working in respiratory medicine. I have a Diploma of Applied Science (Nursing), Bachelor of Health Science (Conversion) and a Master of Nursing (Specialisation - Medical). I have worked as a registered nurse, clinical nurse specialist, clinical nurse educator and a CNC (all in respiratory medicine).
My passions include red wine and cheese and running (5-10kms/day). In all seriousness though, I have a passion for treating all patients like they are your mother, father, husband, wife, brother, sister or child. I am also passionate about keeping the ‘nursing’ in nursing. It doesn’t matter how technologically advanced nursing practice becomes, it’s important to remember you are treating a person, with a family, friends, a history, a story. We cannot lose sight of the person and the ‘care’ they need.
There were two reasons I chose to study this degree, one professional and one personal. Professionally, I do a lot of work in Breathlessness, I run clinics, I participate in research and I teach. I felt that despite my years of experience, I lacked ‘legitimacy’ as I had no formal qualifications in the field. Little did I know how much more I would gain from doing the course! Personally, I had just experienced the passing of a family member in not so ideal circumstances. I was distraught by the lack of care they received and in order to change practice – I thought it’s better to do it within, so getting a qualification in Palliative Care seemed to be the correct path.
I chose to study at UTS because of its reputation. I had met other graduates that had spoken positively regarding their experience. However, I’m not sure what I find as the most rewarding aspect of the course. I’m learning things that I never expected to. It’s all really clinically relevant and can be implemented into every day practice. Being challenged by something other than the day to day issues has been great. Balancing it during COVID-19, not so great!
I am not sure what I hope to achieve in the future… I want to continue doing what I am doing. I love the work that I do but if I can find the motivation, maybe a PhD….
The advice I have for anyone considering the Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care is to…just do it! I was worried about studying again after a break of over 20years but the lecturers are great. Very supportive! They are more than happy to guide you along the way. The opportunity to mix (online) with other students from a range of experiences, workplaces, geography etc. is also amazing and adds to the learning experience.
Mary Roberts:
My name is Mary Roberts and I'm a clinical nurse consultant, and currently I'm studying a Master of Palliative Care at UTS. The benefit of actually doing the course is that I've got a lot more out of it than just getting a qualification. A lot of healthcare professionals think that palliative care is all about death, but to me, it's the opposite, it's about living, it's about making the most of what life someone has left, and not so much the quantity, but the quality of life. And we really have to embrace the fact that palliative care is all about caring. And it's about treating the person, not only who they are now, but who they were in the past, because often they're a shadow of who they were, and you want to be able to encompass who they were in your care, so that you can really relate to them.
I chose to study at UTS for a number of reasons. I've spoken to colleagues that have studied at UTS, and they had nothing but praise for the course structure, the content, and the support they received. And I've also met some of the lecturers prior to enrolling, and I was really impressed with their qualifications, and their passion for teaching. By studying online, you can do the coursework when it suits you. So if you're on morning shifts or you're on afternoon shifts, you can do it around your spare time. And you don't miss out on that collaboration because the lecturers actually schedule some Zoom video sessions where you actually ought to come together with other students. You get sent into little breakout rooms where you can chat and share ideas.
One of the surprising things about the course is that how clinically applicable and practical it is. I thought when I was going to do my master's it would be quite academic and quite theoretical, but each of the subjects I've done so far, I've actually learned things that I can use in my workplace the very next day. So whether it's writing the business case, whether it's using a new treatments for different symptoms.
My advice to anyone who's considering studying palliative care at UTS is just do it. I had every excuse under the sun why I wasn't going to sign up and do it. And I took the plunge, I did it, and I've really, really enjoyed it, and surprised at how easy the transition was after not studying for 20 years. And I've just slipped straight back into it. The supportive environment of not only the other students, but the lecturers, it's been brilliant. So don't put it off, just do it.
Learn more about studying Palliative Care at UTS
