Kiera Mansell is carving her own path forward and looking forward to making a difference to the healthcare needs of her community as soon as she can.
Ōtorohanga born and bred, Kiera is the first in her family to attend university, and studying nursing has always been the goal.
“I have always wanted to help people and make a positive difference in their lives,” says Kiera.
“Being the first in my family to go to university has also been a strong motivation for me as it’s an opportunity to create a better future for myself while giving back to the community through nursing.”
Kiera is one of this year’s recipients of a Braemar Charitable Trust Bachelor of Nursing scholarship. The Trust is a for-purpose organisation and the 100% owner of Braemar Hospital in Hamilton. Where most private hospitals in New Zealand are owned by private or overseas shareholders, Braemar’s ownership model allows it to invest its profits in the hospital’s medical facilities and to improving health outcomes in the community.
The Trust funds a range of charitable activities aimed at improving community health outcomes, including free surgeries, health sector capability building, medical research and scholarships, all underpinned by an equity and access lens. This includes three 10,000 scholarships at the University of Waikato, one in the Bachelor of Health programme and two in Bachelor of Nursing.
“A huge help”
Kiera says winning a scholarship is a huge help and a significant weight off her shoulders.
“My family has never had the opportunity to attend university; there just wasn’t that financial support available. Growing up, my mum supported my brother and I and often went without herself. I know she would have loved to have helped me with uni, so this scholarship will be a huge help. I’ll be able to focus fully on my studies without having to worry about working part-time.”
Part of Kiera’s scholarship will include a paid placement at Braemar Hospital. She’s excited to get stuck in and hopes to explore paediatric and general nursing.
“I’m mostly excited to learn in a private healthcare setting and see how it differs from the public healthcare environments I have been exposed to in my training so far.
“I’m also interested in understanding how care is delivered at Braemar, working alongside experienced nurses and developing clinical skills in a new setting.”
Paula Baker, Braemar Charitable Trust Manager, says Kiera’s application stood out due to her understanding of health equity issues and a demonstrated commitment to helping address them through a nursing career.
“Kiera really impressed us with her understanding of health equity issues and in wanting to help address these challenges within her own local community. She is a very deserving recipient of a Braemar Charitable Trust scholarship, and I am excited to see what the future holds for her.”
Plans for a future in nursing
As for life post-university, Kiera is keeping an open mind.
“I’m still exploring the different areas of nursing, so I’m not certain exactly what I want to focus on just yet. I love working with children and families, so paediatrics appeals to me. For now, my goal is to gain experience as a registered nurse and develop my skills while finding the area of nursing that best aligns with my interests and the needs of my community.”