Chloe Waters graduated from Santa Maria College in 2018. This year she is studying a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Edith Cowan University in Joondalup. What is unusual about this journey is that Chloe didn’t sit ATAR. She chose the ACCESS pathway in Years 11 and 12.

So how did Chloe get into Nursing? Well, she followed one of the alternative pathways to university that are often poorly understood by both parents and students. Chloe completed two Vocational Education certificates while at Santa Maria. The first was a Certificate III in Nursing Assistance in Year 11. She then completed a Certificate IV in Education Assistance in Year 12.

In the TISC process, she applied for Nursing and sent off her very impressive straight A report and her resume. She was offered the position at ECU but was also made an offer by Notre Dame University. If she had chosen Notre Dame she would have had to complete a six-month bridging course.

Chloe is loving her university life. She says, “I love the independent learning, being able to do what I want at the speed I want.” She also acknowledged that the ACCESS pathway prepared her well for university. “Work placements taught me the skills to communicate with staff and plan my work. It gave me so many different, useful experiences.”

Chloe’s advice to students is to follow the pathway that best suits you. “I got to university without the intense stress of ATAR. It allowed me to enjoy high school and boarding.”

We wish Chloe well in her studies and in her career as a nurse.

 

Possible Pathways To Nursing At Santa Maria College

Nursing is one of the most competitive fields of study to access for a school graduate. Consequently, Santa Maria College has dedicated a great deal of time and resources to ensure that our girls who want to become nurses have every possible opportunity.

There are four different nursing opportunities available as a student at Santa Maria:

Year 11 ACCESS

A new and innovative opportunity was developed this year which offers Year 11 ACCESS students the chance to enrol in a Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance over two years. This may lead students to a career in nursing, physiotherapy or a number of other areas in allied health. The training is offered by a registered training organisation, DNA Kingston. Students attend their campus one day a week for two years and complete 120 hours of prac in a nursing environment.

Students who graduate with this qualification may be eligible for direct entry into nursing at Edith Cowan University if they also achieve an A in General English. The qualification itself allows students to work as health attendants in aged-care centres. Many of our students will go on to use this qualification to work part-time whilst they do further study at university.

Year 12 ACCESS

Students in Year 12 may complete a Certificate III in Health Services Assistance over one year. Again, this training is provided by DNA Kingston with students attending one day a week. 

ATAR Entry

Students may take the traditional route to registered nursing by achieving an ATAR in excess of 70 and studying at Curtin, Murdoch, Edith Cowan or Notre Dame Universities.

Year 10 Reach students

Reach students are able to access The GREaT Nursing Program. GREaT stands for Get Real Experience and Try. It is a one-week block in a public hospital that is organised through the Health Department. Students apply and are selected by the Department. Last year we had four students apply and one was accepted.

The greatest challenge for the College is to ensure that all students have access to the prac time required in a nursing environment to complete their qualification. Hospitals have only so many places available for students state-wide and students, in most cases, will be required to complete at least one prac block in an aged care centre. Our staff work tirelessly to ensure those opportunities and we would be very appreciative in anyone in the College community has networks that we could follow up.

Please contact Maryanne Hughes on 6330 0208 with information or enquiries about these opportunities