University of Southern Queensland program providing regional students opportunity to study locally

A UniSQ nursing program which allows students to study locally rather than travelling hundreds of kilometres has been hailed a success with its four new graduates finding employment.

University of Southern Queensland Charleville Bachelor of Nursing (Charleville) program graduates.

A Charleville mother-of-three is following in her grandmother’s footsteps, who served as a nurse during World War II, after graduating UniSQ’s End to End Bachelor of Nursing (Charleville) program.

Launched in 2022, the program allows South West Queensland students to complete their education locally without needing to travel outside of the region.

Megan Glasgow is the first First Nations student to graduate from the program alongside fellow students Cassandra Campbell, Lucy McLune and Karen Devine.

The program is being hailed a success with Ms Glasgow now securing a graduate registered nurse position at Charleville Hospital.

“Travelling to study or complete placements or residential schools was impossible for me with my young family,” she said in a press release.

“The End to End program at UniSQ allowed me to study locally and pursue my dream of becoming a registered nurse and working in my community.”

Charleville Nursing

Ms Glasgow said she was now looking forward to starting in her new role later this month.

“I have always wanted to help people, particularly families, children and infants,” she said in a press release.

“My passion for nursing stemmed from an early age, mainly from my grandmother, who was a nurse during World War II.

“Being able to stay local means I can still support my family but also thrive in my career and actively contribute to the community of Murweh by providing safe, effective and sustainable healthcare to rural and remote communities.”

End to End program co-ordinator Jessie Elliott said it was great to see the students successfully finding employment in the field.

“This graduating cohort has truly been exceptional,” she said in a press release.

“Some of the students have been with me from the beginning of the program’s commencement in Charleville, and seeing them all gain a graduate registered nurse position now makes me truly honoured to have been part of their learning journey.

“Their achievements reflect not only their hard work and dedication but also their resilience and adaptability in the face of new opportunities.”

UniSQ Head of School and Dean of Nursing and Midwifery Professor Linda Deravin said the program would help also bolster regional nursing numbers.

“Without this training program, it would likely be significantly more challenging for these students to gain a degree,” Professor Deravin said in a press release.

“There are very few educational institutions in rural areas, which means travel is needed wherever they study.

“The closest university for some students is over 800km away.

“Many students also face financial constraints that could prevent them from pursuing higher education without the support of a dedicated training program.”

Originally published as University of Southern Queensland program providing regional students opportunity to study locally