How One Family Moment Inspired Tara’s Nursing Career

Five years ago, if someone had mentioned to Tara Hunter (Enrolled Nurse for Resthaven Murray Mallee Hills Community Services) that she would be working in the nursing sector, she would have laughed out loud. ‘People would say to me “you’d make a great nurse”,’ Tara says. ‘But it wasn’t something I was interested in.’

It wasn’t until her mother-in-law sadly became ill that Tara experienced the role of a carer and nurse and decided to take it on professionally – and she never looked back.

Tara began working with Resthaven in 2023 as a Home Support Worker and quickly completed her qualifications to become an Enrolled Nurse. She is now completing her Aged Care Transition to Practice Program (ACTPP) through the Australian College of Nursing and is the first Resthaven Community Services Enrolled Nurse to do so.

The ACTPP is designed to support newly qualified nurses to transition into the clinical workforce. The structured, 9-month program offers a supportive environment to consolidate skills and knowledge in real-world clinical settings. Tara is supported by a mentor, Paula Reid, Resthaven’s Clinical Lead - Community Services Murray Mallee Hills Region.

‘When I first started, it was quite eye opening for me to see what nurses did out in the community,’ Tara says. ‘There is so much more to community nursing than wound care and medication. Nursing supports the individual to live independently at home, while ensuring they are healthy and are able to do so. We give confidence and can advocate for them.

‘Community nurses can reduce the chance of an individual needing to go into hospital for care by supporting their clinical needs at home, thereby allowing them to live independently for longer.’

Tara encourages other community nurses to undertake the ACTPP.

‘Anything I get stuck on or am not sure about, I know I can ask colleagues for their advice and help,’ Tara says. ‘I’ve been drawing on the knowledge from other nurses at Resthaven when I need it. It has been challenging, but very fulfilling.’

Furthering her education, Tara has now also enrolled to study her Bachelor of Nursing.

‘It’s certainly not something I thought I would do,’ Tara says. ‘But I love it.’

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