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Ngāti Porou Oranga and Puhi Kai Iti Community Health Centre are proud to celebrate Nurses, Courtney Kururangi and Te Ara Priest, who graduated from EIT | Te Pūkenga Tairāwhiti on Friday 8 March 2024, at the War Memorial Theatre in Gisborne

We briefly caught up with the two in between patients, listening to their stories and journey towards grad!

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Courtney Kururangi

Where did your nursing journey begin?

In 2020, I did the Foundation (Study and Career Prep) Course. It helps prepare you for school again, e.g. how to write an essay or reference. It was a good starting point. 2021, I began the Bachelor of Nursing degree at EIT Tairāwhiti.

Tell us more about your recent tohu, and your experiences leading up towards graduation?

I've just completed the Bachelor of Nursing degree, so I'm a new grad fresh out of school. 3 years of full time study with 2 kids and trying to get work - it was good, hard, but worth it. I worked at Te Wiremu Rest Home in my last couple years [of study], and you've just got to find a good balance.

Any acknowledgements you'd like to make?

My family - they've seen the good, the bad, and everything else. My partner, my two boys, my parents. I made some good friends too while studying, and have a couple of really good friends who were able to support. And even here [Puhi Kai Iti Community Health Centre], for employing me. This is my first job as a nurse, so I’m grateful that this [Puhi Kai Iti] is such a supportive environment. I've been very lucky.

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‍Te Ara Priest

Where did your nursing journey begin?

EIT Tairāwhiti - I've been here [with Ngāti Porou Oranga] for about 7 years now. So 13 years ago is where my journey at EIT started. As soon as I graduated, I had 3 months of chilling, then brought my CV in [Puhi Kai Iti Community Health Centre], and they started me. I came on as casual at first, which was fine because I had 2 babies during my studies, so I grew with them.

Tell us more about your recent tohu, and your experiences leading up towards graduation?

‍I've just done the Post Grad Cert, and am on my third paper. If I do one more paper, I'll have the diploma, which is why I didn't really take notice of the certificate. I decided I wanted to do more for our people, and as Primary Healthcare Nurses, we have that ability.

Any acknowledgements you'd like to make?

‍My peers because they might not even know it but during my studies, I'd be bouncing things off them and getting ideas from them. The doctors - Dr Kiri Bird and Dr Ken McFarlane, they were my mentors. And my family.