Frances Brogan loves working in nursing. She was keen to progress her career – and move away from shift work to spend more time with her family. Online study meant she could gain a Master of Nursing to help her achieve her goals.
“I’d been thinking about postgraduate online study for a few years before I began, but I’d never felt really ready. When I started studying, I was working as a clinical nurse specialist in an emergency department, where I had been for 16 years. I had four children (I still have them!).
“I jumped into the course earlier than planned because a role at work was coming up that I really wanted, and I knew postgraduate study would help me do well in it.”
Within 6 weeks Frances had applied and been accepted to study, applied for scholarships, interviewed for, and started a new job!
“I had done a lot of research about universities in the previous few years. A major factor in my decision to study at Charles Sturt University was that I could do the whole degree online. As a working mum, I couldn’t make a commitment to face-to-face learning, and Charles Sturt had the best platform for online study.
“I knew I wanted to do a Master of Nursing, and I had done a lot of research about universities in the previous few years. I kept coming back to Charles Sturt University, because of the subjects on offer. They had the best choice of subjects for the path I wanted to take my career on.
“The other major factor in my decision was that I could do the whole degree online. As a working mum, I couldn’t make a commitment to face-to-face learning, and Charles Sturt had the best platform for online study.”
Frances certainly feels that studying a master’s degree has advanced her career – and will do so in the future as well. But that’s far from the only benefit.
“I see the world differently now. It was great with online study as we had students not only from metropolitan areas like me, but also rural areas and from many different countries, so I really felt I was exposed to views and knowledge from across a wide range of experience.
“The role I started at the same time as my postgraduate study was as a nurse educator, a direction I wanted to take my career in. Since then, I’ve moved into a nursing research intern position. That’s a role I would never have thought of looking at before I did my postgraduate degree. I’ve found there are so many more pathways that I am interested in and that I feel I can pursue in my career.
“And the degree has paid so many dividends for my family in that we can spend more time together now my working life is better. It was a challenging three years, but the gains have been so great.”
“I really feel that the kids gained from it, by seeing their mum put in the hard work and reap the benefits; particularly for my three girls, so they could see that women can study and work and achieve. And they now get to benefit as I’ve been able to shift my career so I’m not on shift work and I’m not working nights. I am able to spend more time with them now.”
If you want to advance your career, consider the Master of Nursing at Charles Sturt University. You can start small and ease back into study with new graduate certificates in nursing. Complete your course part-time in just eight to 10 months and receive credit when applying for the master’s. Choose from:
- Graduate Certificate in Nursing (Aged Care)
- Graduate Certificate in Nursing (Clinical Education)
- Graduate Certificate in Nursing (Leadership and Management)
- Graduate Certificate in Nursing (Rural and Remote Nursing)
For more information, visit study.csu.edu.au/master-nursing
This article was sponsored by Charles Sturt University.