Training locally enables Naomi to secure dream career

The ability to study locally enabled East Grampians Health Service nurse Naomi Schott to advance her career and study nursing while raising a family and working part time.

It was Naomi’s early work in disability care that sparked her interest in nursing, as she wanted to provide a better level of care for people with disabilities.

But with four young children, she would have been unable to travel to Ballarat or Horsham to study.

“So, when I heard that the Diploma of Nursing was offered locally through Federation TAFE, I applied and studied part time over two and a half years,” Naomi said.

“I was able to do nearly all my placements locally, and the part time option made it a whole lot easier to juggle everything.”

The Diploma of Nursing meant Naomi could work as an enrolled nurse at EGHS’s residential aged care facility. She would often work night shift, and found herself taking on leadership responsibilities, which eventually lead to her investigating upskilling options.

Federation University was offering the Bachelor of Nursing in flexi mode, which meant Naomi only needed to attend the Ballarat campus for one week each semester, with the remainder delivered online so she could study at her own pace.

“Being able to work at EGHS while I was studying gave me great access to the practical skills and knowledge to complement what I was studying,” Naomi said.

“The educators in the hospital were always there to support me, both as a student and as an employee, and working permanent nights shifts, raising four children and studying full time, I needed the support!”

Naomi said she would have most likely continued working in the disability area if the Diploma of Nursing hadn’t been offered locally.

“I might have looked at it later on, but either way it would have been a much longer process to get there,” she said.

Since completing her Bachelor of Nursing, Naomi has undertaken further study in critical care. Initially, she completed the Rural Urgent Care Program (through the Alfred Hospital), and in 2023, she received the Angela Laidlaw Clinical Scholarship to undertake a post-graduate Certificate in Health (Emergency Nursing) at Federation University, which she successfully completed last year.

Naomi regularly works in the EGHS Urgent Care Centre and is an Associate Nurse Unit Manager in the EGHS Inpatient Unit.

“When you work in the country, all these things tie in together really well; the nurses know each other, there are better relationships with the doctors. It just feels like there are better relationships across the board within the hospital and the community,” she said. “It’s absolutely fantastic to work locally at East Grampians Health Service and care for people that you know, and they know you. You’re able to provide that personal touch to their care.”