Danny: serving the community through nursing

“I went to multiple different primary schools throughout my childhood, moving from place to place with mum, and then when I was put into care I was placed with temporary foster parents. During year 6 I was moved between six different foster homes and attended three different schools in the space of a year.

One of my biggest assets which has helped me out a lot throughout my life is humour. I believe I developed my humour skills as a way to make new friends quickly and adjust to new social environments. Looking back, during my schooling years I would definitely have described myself as a bit of a class clown.”

Nursing: a rewarding career

“I love my job. I developed a keen passion for serving the community through nursing. I’ve always been a caring person and I’ve so far found this career to be rewarding – challenging at times, but definitely something I am grateful to have pursued.

At the moment I am working mostly on the post-operative ward. I love being able to support patients through their rehabilitation journey with the skills and knowledge I have developed to help them reach positive health outcomes.

In my degree I’m most looking forward to doing my nursing placements – but that’s also what I’m most anxious about. I have maintained the philosophy of ‘fake it ‘til you make it’, trying to balance confidence with arrogance.

I consider myself a naturally confident person; I have apprehensions because even though I am confident in nursing I know there is still so much I am yet to learn. Also, I may be placed in an area that I don’t particularly see myself working in, like Emergency or Maternity (I have no desire to be catching babies – I’ll happily leave that to the midwives!)

I feel as though academically I have a good base knowledge, and my success will depend on how well I apply myself to my studies. Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics are kind of complicated (it’s a good thing I know a pharmacist!)”

How the scholarship will help

“When I learnt I’d won the scholarship I was absolutely ecstatic. A huge financial burden was lifted from my shoulders. I celebrated by calling my nana who is constantly pushing me to better myself. She has been a motherly role model in my life, I often compare her to a best friend and I know I would be lost without her support and guidance.

I plan to use the scholarship to help with the financial pressure of being on placement, which takes up a large chunk of the academic year. I’ll use the funds for travel (especially as fuel prices are steadily rising above $2 a litre), accommodation and other uni-related costs like nursing uniforms, textbooks, stationery etc.

The founders of this scholarship – the Sisters – have strong ties to nursing. I think this is very inspiring.

I would like to extend my thanks and gratitude for this opportunity and look forward to becoming a successful recipient of this scholarship. I don’t think words can do justice to my appreciation but I will endeavour to the best of my ability to use this scholarship as a tool for success.”

Get to know Danny

“I love dogs, especially my little Italian greyhound Bean. Dogs have been a huge part of my life and when I lived in Adelaide I spent a number of years volunteering for SA Dog Rescue, rehabilitating and rehoming dogs that had a rough start to life.

I also thoroughly enjoy cooking. My Uncle and Aunty (the biggest parental figures and role models in my life) facilitated my passion for food and specifically Italian cuisine. I enjoy cooking for others and experimenting in the kitchen but I absolutely hate doing the dishes. I cook you clean, that’s the deal.”

Supporting our next generation of healthcare workers

Read about our past scholarship students making a difference in the healthcare sector:

• Tasha graduated with a Bachelor of Health Science in Paramedicine from Western Sydney University. She has also done a Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability), and worked as a disability support practitioner with the Cerebral Palsy Alliance.
• Terri graduated with a Bachelor of Nursing from Australian Catholic University, and returned to her hometown after she was accepted into a Transition to Professional Practice program for new nursing graduates at Griffith Base Hospital.
• Serra received her Diploma of Nursing from Randwick TAFE and has loved working as a nurse at a local medical centre. She’s considering doing a Bachelor of Nursing in the future.

About the Tertiary Scholarship Program for students with an out-of-home care background

Out-of-home care is a statutory care arrangement for children under 18 who can’t live safely at home with their birth families due to chronic child abuse or neglect.

The state government becomes their legal guardian and places the child with an alternate caregiver: a foster carer, relative, or someone in their social network. They might also live in a group home under the care of paid staff, or independently in a private rental situation.

An estimated 1% of young adults from out-of-home care backgrounds go on to any form of higher education, compared to around 40% of young adults in the general population.

The Sisters of Charity Foundation Tertiary Scholarship Program provides financial support so recipients can afford study expenses (course fees; textbooks; attending workshops, networking events and internships) as well as the cost of living on their own with no parental support. The scholarship lets them focus on their studies, rather than having to hold down multiple jobs to survive.