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Ena pursuing nursing career in remote Aboriginal communities
by Imran Naveed Ena Tyson is a mature age Indigenous student studying the Bachelor of Nursing (preRegistration) at the Australian Centre for Indigenous Knowledges and Education (ACIKE), Batchelor Institute, Northern Territory. She is determined to become a Registered Nurse and an inspiring Indigenous Australian who looks forward to contributing to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ health in the remote community of Kalkaringi in the Northern Territory. The Bachelor of Nursing program is helping Ena to prepare to practise nursing in remote communities with a strong emphasis on Primary Health care, Indigenous Health and Public Health.
“I look at all the diseases that burden my people so that motivates me to continue in my studies so I can make a difference for my community. “I think I am a positive person and with my determination I know I can make a real contribution to health in the future. “I have been supported greatly by the Northern Territory Government Cadetship for the last 3 years financially and without their support I would not have been able to achieve my goals,” Ena has a strong Aboriginal family background. Her father’s side is traditional Aboriginal people from Kalkaringi Northern Territory and her mother comes from Waka Waka in Queensland Gayandah. She follows her father’s side so she is a Gurindji woman. From
a young age her father was an inspiration in her life. She tried to study nursing when she left school at the age of 16 years but unfortunately had to work to support her family as her beloved father had passed away. Her family has continued to keep her strong and inspires her in completing her Bachelor of Nursing studies. Ena is undertaking these studies through The Australian Centre for Indigenous Knowledges and Education (ACIKE). This is a joint initiative between Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education and Charles Darwin University (CDU). “I have received the support I have needed in my Nursing studies to progress and succeed and know I couldn’t have made it this far without the dedicated Nursing
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staff at Batchelor there through my learning journey. “Their extra support for me and other Indigenous Nursing students has included: - additional workshop intensives where students can work one-onone - support for accommodation on campus
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- assistance in understanding unit requirements - support in clinical blocks and placements - staff being flexible and available “The staff and the Institute have even supported me in the past to present my learning at a national conference which was a real
highlight of studies so far,” says Ena. The Institute has a free call line to assist Indigenous people to find out more about the Bachelor of Nursing program on 1800 677 095. E-mail enquiries can be sent to enquiries@batchelor.edu.au or visit http://www.batchelor.edu.au/about/ faculties/fhbs/bachelor-of-nursing/