Early Career Nursing and Midwifery — Finding your path

Maddi Munro is an early career registered nurse at Gold Coast University Hospital and shares her thoughts about her career, career plans and what has supported her to thrive.

I am a millennial nurse with career aspirations to take 21st century nursing to new levels. By incorporating mentoring and technology as leverage in advancing knowledge, skills, and network marketing we can truly make a difference to the advancement of nursing and health care, building on the incredible work done by all the nurses and midwives who have come before me.

I am passionate about “thinking outside the box” to contribute to advancing nursing and health care. In 2018 I was fortunate to be sponsored by Nurse & Midwife Support to attend the Australian College of Nursing National Forum on Diversity and Difference. This was such an inspirational experience as this theme resonates with me and my generation. There were amazing keynote speakers from all over Australia including members of parliament, nurse leaders, and emerging nurse leaders, all who were brainstorming ways in which healthcare can be advanced and diversified, and the action required to create change.

Being sponsored to attend this conference meant that I could not only absorb the knowledge gained from all the sessions, be inspired to create change and network with like minded professionals to improve health care. When these types of opportunities are presented to you I encourage all my early career nursing and midwifery colleagues to take it with both hands and run with it, you never know what types of opportunities will open up to you.

Fundamentally, what is important to me and my goals, morals, and ethics correlates to how I am as a nurse. It sets my foundations in how I contribute to shape the future of nursing. As cliché as it sounds, I do have a passion and natural tendency to care for people.

I have ideas and plans for how to change health care beyond the COVID-19 pandemic that involve me becoming a nurse influencer. My goal is to collaborate with people working in information technology to advance iEMR (electronic medical records) and other forms of technology to equip nurses and midwives to become more efficient and effective in their day to day practice. I would also like to continue mentoring the next generation of nurses inspiring with my passion to contribute to innovation that creates improvement in health care.

This drive inside of me began with being mentored by an industry nurse during my study at Griffith. It helped me prepare for job opportunities and career prospects and make a head start in the real world. So I would like to do the same and encourage others to find mentors through your organisational programs, or simply reach out through professional social media streams. I envision nursing will transform digitally and open pathways for job opportunities in entrepreneurial avenues and I would love to be a part of that.

Within nursing and midwifery finding specific areas that you are passionate about can help you carve out the way forward and help shape your career. My passion for nursing and health care innovation began six years ago at the beginning of my career. I was excited, as I still am, about the endless possibilities and pathways nursing presented.

While I am still towards the beginning of my career I have already encountered and learned a huge amount. I gained experience and skills in medicine, vascular, surgical and orthopaedic nursing. I experienced blood, sweat and tears as I learned my profession. The ups, the downs, the heart ache, pain, end of life, and the beginning of something amazing. It’s important to normalize the emotion of nursing and celebrate achievements and honour our passion and enthusiasm.

Most importantly we must normalise the necessity of support throughout our careers, if you don’t feel OK ask for help. Even if its just at the end of a tough shift, seeking support early may assist you to prevent the harsh reality of burnout experienced by too many in our profession. I am heartened to know that Nurse & Midwife Support is there for us 24/7 — you just call them on 1800 667 877.

How nurses and midwives manage, navigate, plan and make sense of our career decisions and life transitions is guided by our desire to live our best life — and that all starts with our health and lifestyle. How nurses and midwives manage, navigate, plan and make sense of our career decisions and life transitions is guided by our desire to live our best life — and that all starts with our health and lifestyle. Simple things like what you put in your mouth, who you hang out with, and when you go to bed all contributes to success in your career and how you navigate life transitions.

The things that keep driving you can be moments big and small, the look on a patient’s face when I donated some clothing because she didn’t have anything to wear. The special patients that have stuck with me in my heart and have struck a chord in me. And the beautiful sisters and brothers I have pleasure working alongside everyday.

Find your passion and the support you need, support others and keep working in this wonderful profession and you will give and gain so much throughout your career.

If you’d like to talk through a big career decision, give Nurse & Midwife Support a call on 1800 667 877! We’re here 24/7 to help you with anything you need.