Registered nurse appreciative of scholarship opportunity
St John of God Mt Lawley Hospital Registered Nurse Priscilla Kumah has been selected as one of 24 recipients of a scholarship to further her education.
8 May 2023
Priscilla, who works in the hospital’s medical and surgical ward, is using the Sister Bridget Clancy Scholarship for the Empowerment of Women through Education to study a Graduate Certificate in Health Leadership at the University of Notre Dame Australia.
“I’ve wanted to do further study for a while as a way to advance my career and enable me to apply for a clinical nurse role on my ward, so getting the scholarship is really significant in the context of helping me achieve that goal,” Priscilla said.
The scholarship, which was first offered in 2021 in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Sister's foundation, seeks to continue the legacy of the visionary and courageous women who founded St John of God Health Care in Australia.
The scholarship was open to female caregivers undertaking studies focused on leadership development or related to women's health.
Priscilla started working at the hospital in 2010 when it was formerly known as Mercy Hospital, before it became St John of God Mt Lawley Hospital in 2014.
She said she has always appreciated the family and community feel of the hospital, however, the encouragement from and warm nature of her manager was a big reason for her long tenure and doing the scholarship.
“My ward manager is very accommodating and compassionate in how she deals with caregivers. She is able to recognise qualities that you might not be able to recognise in yourself and encourages you to bring those qualities to work every day,” she said.
“My manager is the main reason I’m doing this scholarship – I’ve always shied away from clinical or leadership roles but she encouraged me to go out of my comfort zone because she saw my potential.
“It’s a testament to who she is and how she helps the organisation bring out the best in its caregivers.”
Priscilla said she looked forward to bringing the skills she learns in her studies back to the job she loves.
“Nursing is a very fulfilling job. I enjoy solving problems and helping patients recover and reach the best possible health outcomes after surgery or an illness,” she said.
“I’ve also enjoyed taking on leadership roles since being given the opportunity, so I’m looking forward to applying my leadership skills and becoming a better nurse and team leader for my ward as I progress through my studies.”
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