Global adventures to local impact: Ngaire’s journey in nursing education
From Victoria to Timor-Leste, Ngaire Carpenter’s career as a registered nurse and educator has taken her all over the world. Now, she is educating the next generation of enrolled nurses at Mater Health Hub, Springfield.
The Ripley resident’s passion for education started early in her career as a nurse from Sydney.
“When I started working in a hospital, I always found nursing educators were as rare as hen's teeth” she said.
“So, I started to educate myself and verify my understanding with an educator or my senior nursing staff, and they encouraged me to become an educator.”
Ngaire’s curiosity and interest in lifelong learning has allowed her to travel the world and work in far flung places. For two years, she was posted in Dili and worked at the American Embassy in Timor-Leste, alongside her husband who was working for the Australian Defence Force.
“I was a registered nursing officer for 50 of the American staff employed there and their dependent families, which ended up becoming a population of 250 plus, including the locally employed staff.”
“I was working as a nurse, while looking after my four-month-old baby and studying my postgraduate certificate in anaesthetics.
“Nursing can take you anywhere.”
Ngaire’s primary inspiration for her career in nursing came from her mum, who currently works as an enrolled nurse in New South Wales.
“My mum said, ‘wherever you move, there will always be a police station, a fire station, and a hospital and there will always be people who need help.’
“I've always been employed as a registered nurse. I've been able to travel, build my skills and have lots of experience in different healthcare systems. I haven't stayed in one place long enough to be comfortable, but that's now what I want to do here in Springfield” said Ngaire.
Having been a Diploma of Nursing educator at Mater Education’s Springfield location since January, Ngaire has enjoyed watching her students take the skills they learn in her classroom and apply them in simulated hospital environments.
“Simulation is an opportunity to link foundational knowledge into practice, and to refine skills to an industry standard and Mater quality. We learn our theory and foundation, and for some people, it just might not click until you see it demonstrated.”
Ngaire’s advice to her students, especially in the face of adversity, comes from 2 Timothy 1:7 in the Bible.
“For God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power, love and self-discipline.”
