Bronwen Grigg
Final-year student, Bachelor of Health Science (Nursing)
She had long wanted to get a tertiary education but never got the opportunity when she was younger, says Bronwen Grigg who came to AUT to study a Bachelor of Health Science (Nursing) and expects to graduate at the end of the year.
“After living life around my three now teenage kids, moving overseas for my husband’s job, and looking after and losing both my parents, it was time to find something for myself. After I did a career guidance session, I came to the realisation that nursing was the right career choice for me. I’ve always been interested in health, medicine and the body, and nursing appealed to my caring and nurturing nature.”
It’s a decision she hasn’t regretted, and Bronwen already has a good idea which area of nursing she wants to specialise in when she graduates later this year.
“I’d love to work in either theatre or cardiology nursing as I’m fascinated by the heart and have enjoyed learning all about it on my clinical placement on the cardiology ward.”
A successful return to study
For Bronwen, coming to AUT for her studies was an easy decision.
“I had heard great things about the AUT nursing degree from friends, and they mentioned that it had a lot of practical learning through the clinical placements that are part of the degree. I had previously done a certificate in health studies at AUT, and I had really enjoyed my experience there.”
She has enjoyed the challenge of learning and studying again, says Bronwen who is proud of successfully balancing her studies with juggling a busy household and parenting her three children.
“It has given me renewed energy and given me goals to aim for. I enjoy the camaraderie among the diverse cohort of nursing students. Even though it’s big in numbers, it’s a supportive group. I’ve really enjoyed learning about pathophysiology, health complexities and the healthcare sector in general. Another thing I’ve particularly enjoyed is the practical aspect of the learning through the variety of clinical placements we complete.”
Advice for other students
Enjoy every paper and each year of your study, Bronwen advises other students.
“Your time at university goes by so quickly! My advice is to embrace all the learning opportunities you get, even if it’s not in a setting where you want to work for your future career. You’ll get so much out of all of your placements. Turn up, do your best, have the right attitude and never give in.”
She says she would definitely recommend AUT’s nursing degree to other students.
“It has a great reputation and offers a wide variety of papers taught by experts educators. There’s the flexibility of different learning platforms, with many of the lectures recorded so you can review them later on from home. The Bachelor of Health Science (Nursing) covers every aspect of nursing, and also teaches Māori health in relation to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. I also love that there’s a variety of placements in many different healthcare settings.”
