Healthcare Assistant encourages others to pursue a career in the health sector

Previously working in the healthcare sector in Nepal for over seven years, Level 4 student Sharmila Gurung loves “changing lives and impacting families”, and urges others to pursue a career in this field.

“It's an ever-changing profession that offers great job variability and constant opportunities to serve, learn and improve. My role as a Healthcare Assistant in a rest home gives me the opportunity to grow and offers great future pathways.

“Working in this sector provides the privilege of caring for people when they are at their most vulnerable, and offers daily opportunities to have a positive impact and difference in people’s lives.”

The busy mum was drawn to the college’s flexible workplace learning, allowing her to continue working while studying.

“I had heard great things about NZTC, including an excellent online learning platform, a flexible study mode and professional, supportive lecturers. These were all reasons why I chose the college for my health and wellbeing qualification.

“I could learn and do the assessments at my own pace, as all the information was well organised, concise and clear. I found Discussion Forums a really fabulous way to gain insights and advice, and could exchange information among my peers and lecturers.”

While she found all the program content highly applicable to her rest home role, Gurung says the ‘Medication in Aged Care’ course was particularly enlightening.

“It was refreshing to widen my knowledge and skills regarding administering medication in an aged care setting.

“Learning about different diseases, symptoms, causes, prevention, along with medication and its benefits and side effects was all so useful and applicable for me in my role.”