Bachelor of Nursing

Tell us a bit about yourself

My name is Courtney. I am a proud mother of two wonderful boys, aged 7 and 9, and a Registered Nurse. I completed my Bachelor of Nursing at Monash University in 2013. I have worked for Monash Health for almost 12 years. For the past three years, I have worked as a Disability Liaison Officer, a role that truly aligns with my passion and purpose.

Disability advocacy is at the heart of who I am. I am dedicated to ensuring that all people—regardless of their abilities, complexity, or challenges—receive timely, individualised, and flexible healthcare. Throughout my career, I have worked across Renal, Palliative Care, Oncology, Haematology, and now Disability Nursing. This diverse experience has strengthened my clinical knowledge and allows me to provide holistic, meaningful support to one of the most vulnerable and often overlooked populations.

My passion for disability advocacy is deeply personal. Many of my family members have disabilities, and witnessing their experiences navigating health care has shaped the nurse and advocate I am today. My older brother, who has a profound intellectual disability and is nonverbal, is my greatest inspiration and driving force. In addition, both of my children are neurodiverse, further deepening my commitment to improving healthcare access, understanding, and outcomes for people with disabilities.

Working in Disability Nursing gives me the privilege of making a real difference—combining my clinical background, lived experience, and unwavering commitment to equity in healthcare.

What inspired you to study at Monash?

I was inspired to study at Monash University because I knew it would open the doors to the type of nursing career I wanted—one where I could truly make a difference. Monash’s supportive learning environment, strong community, and focus on real-world clinical experience made it the ideal place to begin my journey. Looking back now, especially with the diverse roles I’ve worked in and my current disability advocacy work, studying at Monash was the perfect foundation.

What did you enjoy most about your time studying at Monash?

The thing I enjoyed most about studying at Monash was the wide range of clinical placements. I loved being able to experience so many different areas of nursing, which helped me discover my passions and develop my skills. I was also grateful for the extra opportunities Monash offered to extend my learning—they really enriched my experience and shaped the nurse I am today.

Can you tell us about your current role or professional focus? Tell us about your current role or professional focus

My role sits within the Community division of Monash Health, where I support patients with disabilities across every point of their healthcare journey. This can include care in their homes, within community settings, inpatient wards, or outpatient services. My focus is to ensure that every patient can access equitable, individualised, and accessible healthcare that is delivered in a trauma-informed way and fosters a positive health experience.

A significant part of my work involves advocacy—not only for individual patients, but also at a systems level. I contribute to broader healthcare improvement by working on service development, participating in research projects, and helping to identify gaps in care for people with disabilities. Our goal is to create lasting system change that leads to more appropriate, consistent, and inclusive healthcare for all.

No two days are the same in my role. I primarily work from home, which gives me the flexibility to respond to patients’ needs in a timely and person-centred way. I attend face-to-face clinical appointments as required, including home visits when necessary. As a nurse, I am able to complete nursing assessments and provide guidance to patients, their families, and support staff on navigating the healthcare system safely, sensitively, and efficiently.

This role allows me to combine my clinical expertise, advocacy skills, and passion for disability equity to make a meaningful impact within the community.

My studies at Monash prepared me exceptionally well for my nursing career. The teaching staff brought a wealth of real-world nursing knowledge and expertise into the classroom, which made the learning environment both engaging and practical. Monash’s diverse teaching model and strong values enabled me to broaden my experience, build confidence, and develop the knowledge I needed on the ground.

I was also given the opportunity to complete an additional placement and undertake extra electives, which further deepened my passion for nursing and strengthened my readiness to enter the workforce. These experiences collectively shaped the nurse I am today.

What professional or personal achievements are you most proud of?

I’m most proud of the difference I make in people’s lives every day. For me, it’s the small but meaningful achievements—helping someone access healthcare for the first time, supporting a person who hasn’t left their home in years, or building enough trust for someone to see a dentist or come to hospital after a traumatic experience. These moments remind me why I do this work and are the most rewarding parts of my career.

I’m also incredibly proud to work alongside a team of passionate nurses who are pioneering trauma-informed, accessible healthcare for people with disabilities in Australia. Being awarded Monash Health’s Nurse of the Year in 2024 was a deeply meaningful recognition of this work and something I hold with great pride.

On a personal level, my greatest achievement will always be my children—they are my constant motivation and my proudest accomplishment.

What are your goals for the future?

Looking ahead, I hope to further my education and continue advocating for Disability Nursing to become a stronger and more recognised focus within healthcare education. I want to demonstrate the growing need for programs like ours and ultimately see a Disability Liaison Officer in every hospital across the country.

My goal is to support nurses nationwide in delivering trauma-informed, individualised healthcare so that every Australian—regardless of ability—can access safe, equitable, and effective care. Professionally and personally, I’m committed to helping drive this change and ensuring that the voices and needs of people with disabilities are centred in our healthcare system.

What advice would you give to current or future students considering a career in Medicine, Nursing or Health Sciences?

If you’re considering a career in Medicine, Nursing, or the Health Sciences, jump in with both feet. Find your passion and don’t be afraid to try the hard things early in your career—those are the experiences that offer the most growth and open the most doors.

Nursing, in particular, is incredibly broad and full of opportunity. It can take you anywhere in the world and into roles you may never have imagined. Take every opportunity that comes your way, because you never know which one will lead you exactly where you were meant to be.

Learn more about the Bachelor of Nursing