Voyages Online

Years of study and perseverence have paved the way for a rewarding career in nursing for Metua Ngutu, one of 32 recipients of this year’s Pacific Health Workforce Awards.

Metua Ngutu

She began her nursing studies seven years ago at Whitireia Polytechnic. She graduated with a Bachelor of Nursing from Whitireia Polytechnic in 2003 and gained a position as a Primary Healthcare Community Nurse for her Cook Island community in Porirua.

With the encouragement of her work colleagues and family, she decided to undertake postgraduate studies, in addition to the demands of her job.

To meet the costs of ongoing study, Metua applied for a Pacific Health Workforce Award and was successful. In Metua’s case, successive Awards in 2005 and 2006 have supported her postgraduate studies at Whitireia Polytechnic and Victoria University.

“One doesn’t need to be particularly academic but you do need to be committed and have a real passion for helping people,” says Metua. “I really enjoy the Pacific Island community I work with and the relationships I have developed with people. I can be open and be myself. I feel like I’m meeting their needs which is very rewarding.”

Metua says it has been a long road to get to where she is today and has required many sacrifices. She has had to balance her studies with the demands of her work, raising children and meeting all the usual challenges of family life. She had three children during the course of her studies, and had to cope with the loss of a stillborn child. At one stage she had to take over the breadwinner role for her family.

“Although I was grieving for my lost child, I still clung to my dream of completing my postgraduate papers at Whitireia and wearing another gown at the end of the year.”

Metua completed her postgraduate papers from Whitireia Polytechnic and then signed up for four more papers from Victoria University, focusing on Pacific women’s health issues.

Metua says her achievements would not have been possible without the help of her husband Tearo, her work colleagues, family and friends, and financial assistance from the Ministry of Health Award.

“I wanted to do postgraduate studies but I did not want to take another loan on top of the one I already had from my first degree. The Awards made it possible by funding my fees, mentoring and general expenses.

“I have been given a great opportunity. The Awards motivated me and encouraged me to keep going through the difficult times of study. They allowed me to fulfill my dream of gaining higher qualifications, knowledge and skills, with minimum financial stress. I feel very privileged and blessed by God.”

Metua was born on the island of Pukapuka in the Cook Islands and grew up in Rarotonga. She came to New Zealand in 1996. She loves her role as a community nurse, one of a team of three nurses working at the Pacific Health Service Porirua at Cannons Creek, Porirua. Looking ahead, she would like to be involved in the education and mentoring of future Pacific Island nurses.

“Role models are important in attracting others to enter the health workforce. It would be great to be part of that development.”

Pacific Health Workforce Award

The Pacific Health Workforce Awards were established to support the development of a tertiary qualified Pacific health workforce. The Awards are administered by the Health Research Council of New Zealand and so far there have been 171 awards. This year 32 applicants were successful, in areas of study that include medicine, nursing, public health and midwifery.

For information about the 2008 Workforce Awards visit: www.hrc.govt.nz

Feedback on this story (0)