Nicole is a Mental Health Nurse at Sunshine Coast University Hospital who recently completed a Bachelor of Nursing Science at the University of the Sunshine Coast. She has also since completed her Graduate Diploma of Mental Health Nursing at Central Queensland University in 2022.
Mental health nursing has always been Nicole’s passion, especially after attending a mental health networking event in her community.
During Nicole’s first year as a Mental Health Nurse, attending Reflective Practice Groups (RPG) was integral to practice development, as well as providing a safe space where she felt collegial support. Nicole felt so strongly about the importance of RPGs being available to nurses from more disciplines that, despite her novice status, she enrolled to complete training and commenced her apprenticeship during her second year.
Being reliable in facilitating regular RPGs demonstrates commitment to her nursing colleagues who prioritise attendance as part of their professional development and collaborative practice. By facilitating RPGs, Nicole is able to contribute to a safe working culture through helping provide a space where colleagues can talk openly about clinical concerns and incidents, including those in which their physical, psychological or cultural safety may have been compromised.
Within her workplace, Nicole strives to contribute to a safe culture amongst both her colleagues and consumers. She always strives to maintain positivity and hope for people when they cannot do so themselves, and above all, she tries to practice nursing in a humanistic way.
"I’m still studying at the moment and as gruelling as it can be sometimes, I live for those “aha” moments when you read a journal or you’re following a reflective practice group discussion and you’ve learned something new and you can translate that back into your practice and it makes me feel more confident."