Joseph Bouma did not set out to become a nurse.
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Indeed, the 27-year-old was initially keen on pursing a career in IT, but there was something about nursing that beckoned.
Perhaps “something” is that both mum Margaret and dad Harry are nurses, but whatever it was that beckoned to Mr Bouma also drew in his brother Sam.
The pair undertook their Diploma of Nursing studies to become enrolled nurses at the same time and now both work at Wagga Base Hospital, where it is possible they will one day be joined by sister Sarah, who has also just finished her TAFE course.
In 2018, Mr Bouma won the excellence in nursing: enrolled nurse category of the Wagga Health Service Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards.
“For years, Mum and Dad said ‘don’t do nursing, do something else’ and I tried not to do nursing and do something else, but in the end I really wanted to do it,” Mr Bouma said.
“Enrolled nursing is a really great way to get into nursing.
“Nursing is the best job in the world. There are days when I say ‘why the heck did I do nursing?’, but I just can’t imagine doing any other job.”
This week, the Department of Health has announced a $1.5 million program to provide 250 scholarships for enrolled nurses.
The scholarships will cover the course fees for a Diploma of Nursing and there is a guaranteed job offer at the end of it, Minister for Health Brad Hazzard has said.
The Murrumbidgee Local Health Service is applying for eight of those 250 scholarships.
Five would be at Wagga Base Hospital, one at the Wagga mental health unit and one each at the Corowa and Deniliquin hospitals.
Michele Coghlan, the director of nursing and midwifery at Wagga Base Hospital, believes the scholarships could help more people become nurses.
Ms Coghlan said many people who became enrolled nurses started their careers at a later stage, but believes the scholarship will help more young people begin earlier.
“It’s great to have Sam and Joe, who are younger men, who start off as enrolled nurses early in their career. The community will be able to benefit from their expertise for a much longer time,” she said.
