“I’m glad I chose nursing”

Taylor finds her place on the health frontline

Taylor Watson grew up 20 minutes from our Sydney campus on the grounds of Sydney Adventist Hospital but had never heard of Avondale University until her grandmother became ill.

“She went to the San and had some really nice nurses looking after her, but she’d never seen the logo on their uniform before,” Taylor explains. “After she came out from hospital, she told me to look into Avondale, because the nurses from there were so good.

“I applied as soon as I finished HSC and haven’t regretted it a single day.”

Taylor achieved strong marks for her HSC and could have headed down the pathway of becoming a doctor, but in her heart knew nursing was the career she would be devoted to.

“Doctors play an important role, but they see patients for a short time, make a diagnosis and then have to move on, they often don’t have the opportunity to spend a lot of time with each patient,” Taylor says.

“On a ward, I could have eight patients who I get to look after for the whole day. I know I’m going to be busy, but I’m also going to have the opportunity to be there for people at times in their life when they most need help.

“Avondale has given me a wonderful introduction to nursing. Because we are based at the San, we do some rotations here, but we also have placements at a range of other hospitals and the lecturers and staff really try to help.

“They don’t just know your name, they take the time to find out how your day is going and what’s going on in your life because they want you to succeed, to become great nurses.

“I’m so glad I chose Avondale, and nursing—it was a great fit for me.”