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Five questions with Emily Li, Bachelor of Nursing graduate

You completed a Bachelor of Nursing. Why did you choose to study at ACU?

The main reason is ACU's reputation. I have an auntie in Melbourne who runs a nursing agency. I asked her opinion and she said, 'Students who graduate from ACU have a higher chance of being hired, either by a hospital or a nursing agency. If you get a chance to study there, it must be your top priority.' I thought okay, that sounds perfect!

You currently work as an aged care nurse. How did you find your job?

After I graduated, I started working for a nursing agency and then I applied for my current role. It's not that hard to find a job - Australia needs more nurses. And you don't have to work in a hospital. You can also be a cosmetic nurse, you can be a nurse in aged care, you can be a community nurse. There are a lot of choices for you.

What do you love most about your work?

The most enjoyable part for me is that I look after the same people all the time. In the hospital, you change your patients every shift or every two to three days. If you work in aged care, the residents you're looking after every day, you become their family. The Victorian government has also just elevated the pay of aged care workers by 15 per cent, so that has been great too!

How did ACU prepare you for a nursing career?

One of the most important skills I gained was critical thinking. I did four clinical placements, and they showed me how valuable critical thinking skills are in this career. This is something I use in all my shifts, like determining which patient to see first, the order in which I give out medications, and how to supervise and organise the day's tasks for all my staff to ensure the residents receive great care. ACU teaches nurses that we must constantly evaluate and re-evaluate the information we gather to keep our patients safe.

What was your favourite thing about studying at ACU?

ACU is a Catholic university, so they really emphasise the importance of ethics. That's important because it reminds you how to be a good person and helped me to become a good nurse. I also realised that the university will give you lots of support, as much as they can. Even when you have some troubles with your life, with the course, if you're willing to tell the uni, they'll help you. I had a great experience at ACU.

ACU is Australia's sixth-ranked university for nursing and #14 in the world. Find out how our connections with more than 200 hospital and health care partners can transform your learning experience - talk to our international student support team for more information today.