Driven by her passion for helping others – and growing up surrounded by others in healthcare – Kasey Marshall said she felt nursing was always her calling.
“I feel like it's part of my personality,” she said.
“And the way my mum and dad raised me to always be kind and caring, and to be there for others and help others when they need it. It’s just part of my nature.”
Growing up in a family where healthcare was a common theme, Kasey was naturally drawn to the profession. Her mother and aunties worked in hospitals, and this environment influenced her decision to pursue a Bachelor of Nursing at the University’s Cradle Coast campus.
“Seeing my aunties being nurses and my mum working up there, it just felt like the atmosphere I needed to be in,” Kasey said.
Her path to nursing was solidified during high school, when she attended a college that offered a Certificate III in Health Services Assistance, which proved to be her pathway into nursing.
Currently balancing her studies with work at Burnie Hospital, Kasey has embraced her role as an Assistant in Nursing, saying the experience has been reaffirming.
“I’ve been working on medical, surgical, and infectious units, helping patients with their daily activities," she said.
“I think it was a few shifts in. I had a really lovely patient and I was just helping them, and they were being so thankful. It was the first time the nurses had seen them smile in a while and I could see them brightening up and it just opened my eyes.
“And I was like, this is definitely it for me. I'm making their day better. It's making me feel better about myself as well.”
Kasey’s drive to give back to her community extends beyond nursing. She is also involved with the Tasmanian Fire Service, where she recently became a Junior Training Officer, underscoring her dedication to making an impact both professionally and locally.
She was grateful for the opportunity to remain in Burnie to study, and having her family close by has been a significant source of support, particularly as she juggles university and work.
“I was able to stay at home. I don't have to move out. I don't have to worry about the living expenses of being alone.”
As the first member of her family to attend university, Kasey’s family are proud of her achievements as well.
“Mum talks about it all the time with people at work because she works at the hospital as well,” Kasey said. “She's always talking about her daughter that's doing nursing, and she'll talk about it whenever she can.
“The fact that I've gone through it and I'm doing so well, it's such a big thing for her. She's so proud."
After completing her bachelor’s degree, Kasey plans to pursue further qualifications in midwifery and encouraged others to follow their passion as well.
“If you’re thinking about it, just do it. It’s a rewarding path.”
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