An EIT student has honoured his late mother’s wishes by choosing a career in nursing.

Tannah Setu was born in Savai’i, Samoa, and moved to New Zealand at 17. Tannah, 30, says that the reason for this was because his parents believed that he would have a good education in New Zealand.

It is a move that paid off for Tannah as he finished school here – at Hastings Boys’ High – and has worked hard to choose his career path, before settling on nursing. He is currently in his third year of the Bachelor of Nursing at EIT. However, the last number of years have not been without heartache for Tannah, with him having lost his mother in 2018 and his brother last year.

“A lot has happened, but you just have to keep the faith and keep going.”

He says he found school here quite different to the Samoan system, but after school he pursued his then dream of becoming a flight attendant by enrolling in the New Zealand School of Tourism. After completing his studies, Tannah returned to Hawke’s Bay where he worked his way up the ranks of management at Flaxmere New World.

A role at Porter’s Boutique Hotel in Havelock North eventually led to Tannah being accepted as a flight attendant for Air NZ. However, this coincided with the onset of COVID-19.

But at the back of his mind, was always his mother Faalo Stringham’s dying wish that he become a nurse. He worked at a medical centre in Hauora Heretaunga at Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga for a few months before deciding to enrol in the Bachelor of Nursing programme at EIT.

“I chose to study at EIT because Hawke’s Bay is home. I also heard from former nursing students that EIT provides great support for Pasifika students.”

He began in 2022 and is now in his third year. He says that he has found the programme tough at times but has managed to keep his grades up despite his personal tragedies. Getting practical experience is also part of the Bachelor of Nursing programme and Tannah has spent time at Mary Doyle Retirement Village and at Hawke’s Bay Hospital. Throughout his studies, he has met different people and made friends along the way.

He is currently on placement at the Hastings Health Centre, while also working part-time as a healthcare assistant at the hospital. The cost of his studies has been helped by him receiving scholarships from the Pacific Health – Te Whatu Ora and from the Pasifika Medical Association.

Tannah says that he has no hesitation in recommending EIT as a place to study.

“If you live in Hawke’s Bay and are considering studying, I highly recommend looking into EIT.”

Tannah is not sure what he wants to do when he graduates but he is interested in Pacific health and thinks he will work in Hawke’s Bay for a while. In the meantime, he is enjoying his life here with family and church community.

Sharon Stuart, EIT Nursing Lecturer and programme coordinator, says: “I have worked with Tannah through years 2 & 3 of his nursing degree. Tannah has a kind, genuine and respectful presence about him, which staff and patients alike comment on regularly.”

“He is eager to learn and takes every opportunity to expand his nursing knowledge and experiences.  He will be a great asset to Pasifika nursing in the future.”

Katherine Williams, Head of EIT’s School of Nursing, says: “It has been a privilege watching Tannah grown and develop his academic and clinical skill in nursing. Tannah has been an active member of our student advisory group since July 2022 and is a true role model for all Pasifika students wanting to undertake nursing as a career.”

“We acknowledge Tannah’s resilience, passion, and determination to complete his remaining time within the Bachelor of Nursing programme and wish him all the best.”