Elizabeth Kaukas Student Profile

Student Profile

Name: Elizabeth Kaukas
Course: Bachelor of Nursing

I am a mature aged undergraduate nursing student, in the final year of my Bachelor of Nursing. I am the first person in my immediate family to attend university and I currently juggle part time work with a full time course load. I love the course particularly the clinical placements. These have given me a greater insight and appreciation for the work that nurses do. As part of a delegation of UWS Nursing students I was able to go to Malaysia and Brunei on a field trip, it was amazing to see the contribution of nursing in those countries.

Why did you decide to undertake the Bachelor of Nursing course?
I have always had an interest in caring for people and after doing some volunteer work I fell in love with the idea of helping people and decided to enrol in Nursing. I find that after most days of clinical I am exhausted both physically and mentally, but I walk out of the ward feeling like I have contributed to society and know that what I have done has made a difference to someone.

Why did you choose to study at UWS?
I have only heard good things from nursing professionals about people who have graduated from the UWS nursing school, which reinforces the belief that the sacrifice is worth it and that I’m getting a quality education. UWS is my local uni, so its convenient to get to.

What is it like to be a student at UWS enrolled in this course?
The course has been challenging and at times you often wonder if you’ll ever get it all done, but it always gets done and you always have friends around to support you and they are going through the same thing. At the end of the day there is nothing like the satisfaction you get knowing you are one day closer to your goal.

What are you hoping to gain by completing this degree?
I’m hoping to get a New Graduate position as a Registered Nurse.  I will also continue my education so that I can either explore other facets of nursing, such as education or a specialist field. The world is my oyster really, I cant wait to see what opens up.

What are your professional goals after completing your degree?
I’d like to work for as long as possible as a nurse either as a specialist in a specific area of nursing or as an educator, I think its really important to encourage others in their learning and to work hard at what you are passionate about.