Opening the door to a bright future
Ivan is a registered nurse, responsible for caring for critically ill patients in the Intensive Care Unit at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne. He first shared his story with you as part of our 2022 Christmas Appeal.
Like many of our nurses, Ivan’s kind and compassionate nature and his strong desire to help his community drew him to this noble profession. When we last spoke with Ivan, he told us he was keen to undertake his Masters of Nursing. Unfortunately, the onset of the COVID pandemic and caring for a new baby, Theo, meant he had to delay his studies.
In January this year, Ivan was finally able to undertake the study he had been yearning to do.
Ivan’s world has now become a whirlwind of juggling work, family and study as he fulfils his ambition to take his career to the next level. Despite sacrificing sleep and precious time with his family, Ivan’s thirst for knowledge means he's relishing his studies.
A bright and talented care giver, Ivan has enjoyed putting his new knowledge to the test.
“The study is designed for us to apply the skills we are learning to work. I’m lucky because
St Vincent’s is a supportive learning environment. I’m already feeling more confident when looking after complex patients.”
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Revealing a world of opportunities
Once Ivan completes his studies in November, he says there will be a lot of job opportunities for him to explore. Two options he’s keen to look into are the possibility of becoming a nursing educator or an ICU liaison nurse. The liaison role supports doctors and nurses on the ward during emergencies. Ivan’s past experience in emergency wards gives him a distinct advantage in this area. On the other hand, he finds joy in sharing his knowledge so he may choose to follow the nursing educator path.
One thing that is clear is that Ivan has a bright future ahead of him!
Ivan is confident the creation of the Nursing Scholarship Fund will attract more of his colleagues to undertake their post grad studies.
“Doing a post grad is a big decision. Studying is challenging, and working out how to pay for it makes the decision so much harder. Knowing the fund is available has planted a seed for several of my colleagues. It’s a great comfort knowing there’s support they can access when they do decide to take the leap.
“Thank you so much to the people who have supported this scholarship. Your kindness and generosity will not only directly benefit nurses but it will ultimately benefit the patients who need our help.”
