Blue Ribbon help for trainee nurses
Two Grampians Health employees are the first to receive the newly created Blue Ribbon Foundation Horsham nursing scholarships.
The BRF Horsham committee agreed to offer the annual scholarships through the Federation University Australia Foundation. Bailey Price and Kerry Piera are completing nursing traineeships with Federation University while working in roles at Grampians Health.
After moving with her family from New Zealand to Horsham three years ago, Bailey started her traineeship in 2023. She also works part time on reception in Wimmera Base Hospital’s Emergency Department.
Bailey said she loves the fast pace of ED and would be rapt to work in there as a nurse.
“I’ve already made a lot of friends in ED so that or Theatre or ICU would be ideal for me,” she said.
“I’ve always wanted to help people. I’ve had some amazing nurses in my life, and I want to be ‘that nurse’ for others. To be the light in the dark days.”
Kerry has worked as a personal carer in aged care and disability for nearly two decades and has also worked in case management with Wimmera Community Options. Also, a qualified massage therapist, Kerry said every time she looked at a different career path, something always brought her back to nursing.
“The timing is right for me this time though,” Kerry said.
“My husband works shift work, and we still have a child in primary school so taking on a traineeship through Grampians Health has been hugely beneficial and made it that much easier.
“Having the traineeship means you are still able to live and cover the basics such as a home loan, food and clothing. It just eases the burden a little bit more because it is way harder when you’re trying to study without that second income.
Kerry is currently working two days a week at Wimmera Nursing Home and will soon move to Wimmera Cancer Centre for six months to fill a long service leave role.
“I’m thrilled to be able to do that because my dream role is to work as a palliative care nurse. My passion for nursing is in palliative, oncology and renal,” she said.
Both Bailey and Kerry were extremely thankful to win the scholarships from BRF Horsham.
“The scholarship is amazing because when doing placements in Ballarat, the accommodation alone is huge and then there is parking on top of that,” Kerry said.
“It is just huge to receive the inaugural BRF scholarships and I just hope they can continue to make these available because our trainee nurses will be able to put it to good use.”
She was also thankful that Federation University provided the training in Horsham.
“If I had to travel to Ballarat to do the course it would have been virtually impossible,” she said.
“I plan to do my Bachelor of Nursing next and I know I have to travel for Ballarat for that one so it will be interesting how that works out. But that’s the sacrifice you have to make.”
BRF Horsham committee member and Victoria Police Horsham Superintendent Sharon McCrory presented the scholarships to Bailey and Kerry and congratulated them both. She said the committee was unanimous in agreeing to the scholarships.
“It’s extremely important that the Wimmera community can train to be nurses on the job and study here in Horsham and we want to support that the best way we can,” Supt McCrory said.
“Our Foundation honours police officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty and front line workers such as nurses are such a big part of our daily work. It makes every bit of sense that we would support a program that helps the community find more nurses.”
