Laura Painter
Nurse Practitioner, Kingsland Family Health Centre
Master of Health Science in Advanced Nursing Practice with Honours (First Class)
Bachelor of Health Science (Nursing)
The positive impact she can make is what she loves most about being a nurse, says Laura Painter who works as a nurse practitioner at the Kingsland Family Health Centre.
“It’s satisfying when a patient states that they feel heard and well cared for when they have a positive healthcare experience. Good healthcare outcomes can be very subjective. Understanding what the patient values and then working with them to achieve this outcome is the most enjoyable part of my job.”
She says becoming a nurse practitioner felt like the logical next step in her career.
“I had been employed as a nurse within primary care for 20 years and had been working at the top of my scope within a management role. My main reason for pursuing nurse practitioner training was the idea of pursuing a more autonomous role with greater impact on health outcomes for patients.”
The right career move
Because she had previously studied at AUT, Laura says returning here for postgraduate study was an easy decision.
“I completed my Bachelor of Health Science (Nursing) at AUT in 2005, so was already familiar with the high-quality teaching and the practical learning opportunities the university offers. Nursing studies are well established within AUT, and I knew that I’d be supported to complete my nurse practitioner qualifications.”
She credits the nurse practitioner training with advancing her work in numerous ways.
“I’m a lead healthcare provider within primary care. I work with patients to investigate and treat their health issues, working alongside highly skilled healthcare providers to collaboratively achieve the best outcomes for patients. Every day brings new challenges, and I’ve learnt so much about myself and what I can achieve.”
Advice for other students
Laura, who completed her Master of Health Science in 2021, has some great advice for other registered nurses who are considering advancing their skills.
“Enjoy your journey of learning. The years of hard work are worth it for the role at the end of your studies, and for what you learn about yourself and what you can achieve.”
She wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the nurse practitioner path to others.
“I’d highly recommend the nurse practitioner path to other potential candidates due to the positive experiences I had within the programme. I found the learning content to be relevant to my daily practice, and transitioned into the nurse practitioner role feeling well prepared. I now feel empowered to take on leadership roles and be involved in innovation within healthcare.”
