A Sunshine Coast husband and wife are preparing for huge career and lifestyle changes, to become nurses in a remote community.
Carpenter Jacob Cox and police officer Liana Cox are eager to make a big move, to make a difference where it is most needed.
The duo have dived headfirst into the Nursing Science degree at the University of the Sunshine Coast’s Gympie campus, while working and raising their two young children.
The Kenilworth couple intend to face new challenges within a few years, at the front line of healthcare in a remote Indigenous community, where they could be the only health professionals for hundreds of kilometres.
Liana said it was “a really exciting and motivating aspect”.
“To be able to work alongside each other in the nursing profession and share in the highs and lows that come with it, I think that is something quite unique,” she said.Recruiting and retaining a qualified health workforce in rural and remote areas is an ongoing challenge, contributing to the poor health of many who live there, especially Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.Jacob, a Bidjara man born in south-west Queensland, said the disparity between healthcare in metropolitan and rural and remote areas was concerning.“It’s about recognising that it’s a privilege to live in areas such as South-East Queensland, with a wide array of health services at our fingertips,” the 28-year-old said.“That is really lacking for Indigenous Australians who are geographically isolated from the services they often need.”
Liana said they wanted to help reduce those deficits.“We want to make a difference to the outcomes of Indigenous people in remote areas by providing person-centred care and culturally-safe healthcare and education,” she said.Making connections and empowering and supporting people, often when they are at their most vulnerable, is at the heart of the nursing profession.
For 29-year-old Liana, it’s this focus that makes the switch from policing to nursing a natural career pivot.“Both careers have the common element of providing a service to the community,” she said.“This is an aspect of my job that I find really rewarding and it gives me a great deal of job satisfaction.”Jacob, who has has worked in construction since doing work experience in the industry in Year 9, said it was an enormous step to pick up the study books.“It is something I have wanted for a long time but never thought it would be a possibility for me,” he said.“After being in the building industry for so long, applying to university to become a nurse felt like such a drastic change.“Also, having a young family and the need to remain working full-time to be financially stable made studying seem out of reach. I wasn’t sure if I would be accepted into the course, I just decided to give it a crack.”
But he hasn’t downed the tools just yet and is studying part-time while working full-time as a site supervisor.
Jacob’s ultimate career goal was to become a midwife.“Our experiences in the hospital setting during Liana’s pregnancies and post-partum have steered me down this path,” he said.“I want to offer patients, their babies and families skilled, knowledgeable and compassionate care.”They were nervous and excited for the academic and career change journey.“It is a lot to take on and I have absolutely no doubt that we are in for a very busy time ahead,” said Liana, who is on maternity leave from the Queensland Police Service.“We are very fortunate that both of our families live close by and provide unwavering support when we need it.“Additionally, we have each other to lean on. Studying together gives us the opportunity to keep each other motivated.”Applications are open for mid-year entry into UniSC’s Nursing Science program. Go to University of Sunshine Coast – Study Your Way.
