My name is Stephanie Fricke. I am a mother to two beautiful boys aged 4.5 and 2 years. I started my degree in 2017 after spending the first 12 months at home with my eldest boy and then decided to enrol into the Bachelor of Nursing Science at USC. Whilst studying I unexpectedly fell pregnant with my next son and deferred Semester 2 of my second year at uni, starting back up again in the summer semester. My journey to complete my degree has been challenging due to my personal situation and I was very fortunate to have the support of my parents to help and push me to complete it!

What motivated you to study nursing?

I have previously worked as an Assistant in Nursing (AIN) and have a Certificate III in Aged Care. I enjoyed the work and during my certificate studies I wanted to learn more. I was not satisfied with stopping at a Certificate III. I took 12 months off to enjoy being a new mother, which gave me time to be certain what I wanted to study at university. I decided to study a Bachelor of Nursing because I enjoy helping people and eventually, I want to become a mental health nurse.

What did you enjoy most about studying at USC Caboolture?

I thoroughly enjoyed my work placements, gaining clinical experience and being able to make connections between theory and practice.

What did you learn on placements that particularly stood out to you?

I learnt the value of relationships. Relationships with senior nurses. Relationships with your patients. Relationships with your facilitators. It is very important to ensure that you are working as a team. I went in there and learnt. I was honest with my abilities and the support I received was just so reassuring.

Where do you hope your career will take you?

At this stage I am hoping to work within a General Practice. I have applied for graduate positions, however, my preference is to work in a family-friendly environment to provide flexibility and allow time for me to spend with my family. I have a trial coming up and I am very excited to integrate within the practice as a Registered Nurse.