$28K support for nursing and midwifery placements

She says it was thanks to the support of a $2,000 Leahurst Nurses’ Foundation Scholarship that she was able to complete her practical placement – without the income of her casual job.

“The financial pressure was a burden,” says Kelly. “But this funding helped me in more ways than one, from actually allowing me to pay my car repayments that were overdue, to enabling me to travel to the placement, plus buying food.”

“It also helped me mentally and emotionally. I realised I didn’t need to stress, so my mental health improved, I became more focused and happier.”

Established in 2020, the Leahurst Foundation Inc. chaired by Dr Anita De Bellis has a mission to strengthen the nursing and midwifery professions in South Australia.

“The scholarships were created to provide support to students experiencing financial hardship as a result of their final clinical placement in their undergraduate nursing or midwifery degree,” says Dr De Bellis.

“We hope that this support will help the students focus on the fantastic, hands-on learning opportunity a placement can provide, rather than worrying about how they will pay their bills during this period.”

Kelly is now looking forward to moving to Kangaroo Island to begin her career as a nurse, and is excited about creating a better future for others.

She says, “I want to work my way up to be a nurse practitioner or take on a role where I’m able to implement positive change in the healthcare system.”