By Xue Bai – current Bachelor of Nursing student
Xue is an international student from China studying to become a Registered Nurse at UTS and enjoying learning practical skills on the way. She has loads of great advice for international students who want to get involved in UTS campus life too!
First up, why nursing at UTS?
Nursing is quite practical. I chose UTS because practical skills are taught in class so there are more opportunities for us to practice in the curriculum. We have placements each session and practice labs that we can attend and get support from lecturers and our tutors. For placements at UTS, we’re required to practice in different kinds of hospitals, which is really valuable because you get to have a good experience at each hospital.
I also liked the location of UTS because it is right in the city area, just next to Central Station. I can walk there from UTS – it’s quite convenient.
Some of the #UTSlife opportunities I’d recommend for nursing students:
- Become a Peer Networker. I became a UTS Peer Networker because I wanted to meet different people and learn how to approach people who I have never met before, especially students from different disciplines. I have met people from health degrees that have made recommendations about what major I should pursue after nursing – it’s a great way to make connections and network.
- Join the UTS Nursing and Midwifery Society. We meet at the beginning of a semester to share our experiences and I’ve made lots of friends.
- Volunteer in the SOUL Awards at UTS. This involves completing 90 hours of volunteering and 10 hours of workshops which cover topics like communication, leadership and social issues. You can choose your own not-for-profit organisation to complete your volunteer hours – I volunteered in the area of cancer and hospital observations.
- As a Nursing student, I have to make sure my immunisations are up-to-date. The Health Service on campus at UTS is convenient because I can make an appointment in between classes and get what immunisations I need before my clinical placement started.
- The UTS Careers Service has been helpful in assisting me with my resume and cover letter. They also hold workshops for nursing students to apply for graduate programs which provide us with tips to prepare for the interview stage.
- Ask UTS: HELPs. I have attended communication and academic writing skills workshops for international students, which have helped me improve my verbal and written English skills.
- U:PASS is a group session run by UTS which helps us with difficult subjects. We learn how to find answers by ourselves and the teachers help explain assessments really well.
My advice to future international students…
Talk more and practice your English. Communication is really important in Australia, so have a go and don’t be shy or worried about making mistakes. No-one will laugh at you, come on you can speak two languages – that’s a good thing! Also, engage in volunteer work. It’s a really nice opportunity to meet different people and practice your English.
I would also recommend international students to complete the online work before attending class. Otherwise, especially, for nursing, you will find it difficult in class to understand what is being discussed.
Thanks Xue!
Inside | Out 