“My Place”: Hekia Parata, goes over care plans with Senior Nurse Carole Wallis.

 

A young East Coast mother had to go through some frantic juggling to get through her EIT nursing degree but it was all worth it as she has emerged with her dream career and is loving every minute of it.

Hekia Parata, 25, already had one child when she started her studies. Not long after enrolling in the three year degree programme, she discovered number two was on the way, which was a daunting prospect.

But with the support of her lecturers, library support staff, classmates and family, she persevered and will this week wear the cap and gown of a graduate with well-deserved pride.

She has already started working in Gisborne Hospital’s medical ward having secured a coveted place on the Hauora Tairāwhiti This Ministry of Health funded programme is jointly delivered by Hauora Tairāwhiti and EIT to support newly registered nurses into their first year of pratice. It also means that Hekia’s study at EIT is ongoing – as part of NETP whe will complete a postgraduate, level 8 course that will be the first course towards a Postgraduate Certificate in Nursing. Quite an achievement for a new nurse and Mum of two!

After two or three years of general nursing Hekia would like to specialise in dialysis or oncology.

She had her introduction to this during her studies, when she did a practicum placement in the Tui to Ora unit, for people with long-term conditions, including diabetes, kidney disease and mental health problems.

“The staff there were amazing – there are so many people with problems and it was awesome to learn how to approach people and adapt the skills in how to care for them.”

Being fluent in both Māori and English gave her the ability to reach out to all patients.

“About 50-60 percent of the patients were Māori and I felt they responded well to having someone Māori to look after them.

“I was able to translate and relate to help guide them through these waters, through eyes that were the same as their own.

You really have to grasp the concept that all the patients are someone else’s loved ones and ask yourself what sort of care you would want for your own family member,” she said.

From Ruatoria, Hekia initially attended Te Kura Kaupapa Māori there before going to Lytton High School, Wellington Girls High and back to Lytton.

She was grateful to be able to study her degree programme in Gisborne, close to home and family, especially when she had to juggle child care and her studies.

“The staff at EIT were really good about letting me bring my baby to class. I had to go through a lot of time management and lack of sleep. The degree course was not easy. There were a lot of assessments and exams but we had fantastic lecturers who were willing to do tutorials and after school classes to help us keep up with it and the nursing lab facilities at EIT were amazing.

“We were a tight knit class and we really worked together,” she said.

Eight students from her class have been accepted into the NETP programme, which was the largest proportion from anywhere in New Zealand.

The hard work had all been worth it, she said.

“It’s been hectic but I really feel I have found my place in the world. Every day I am excited to go to work – I have definitely found my thing.”