A career in caring

After seven years of studying while working full-time as a pediatric nurse, Lizzy Bunckenburg has graduated in Wellington with a Master of Nursing.

Growing up in a close-knit and caring family who were actively involved in sports and the community helped pave the way for Lizzy to pursue her nursing career.

“From a young age I was always interacting and involved with children in the community,” she says.

“I knew I wanted to do something that I cared about and my maternal instincts lead me to nursing.”

For the past five years Lizzy has been stationed at Wellington Children’s Hospital, where she feels most at home.

“I just love my job in pediatrics. I can’t see myself doing anything else.

“Nursing has so many opportunities. You can take it wherever you go. That was a huge drawcard for me.”

Lizzy says it’s important to have balance while studying and working full-time.

“It’s a bit of a juggling act. You must have balance. Work, life, study and play.”

Lizzy also admits to now being a regular coffee drinker and that a full bag of M&Ms is easy to consume in one day of staring blankly at journal articles.

As an award-winning multisporter, Lizzy spends much of her free time out and about in what she calls the ‘outdoor playground’. Whether that’s catching a wave, hiking up a mountain or cycling around her beloved hometown of Wellington.

Now that Lizzy has been awarded her master’s, she is set to move across the ditch at the end of April to work at The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne. She wants to pursue further study in a few years when she returns to New Zealand and has aspirations of becoming a Nurse Practitioner.

Lizzy will be celebrating her graduation with family and says she’ll be taking her Mum and Dad out for dinner for putting up with her studying over the last seven years.

If Nursing sounds like something that interests you, click here.