Sisters Kealy and Aish Tupper shared a special experience at La Trobe University Bendigo's graduations on Thursday.
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The pair each graduated from their nursing degrees after studying side by side for years.
Kealy said being able to share the experience with her sister was exciting.
"Being able to share the whole experience with someone that's really close and like your best friend is nice," she said.
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Aish said being able to study at home together during the pandemic had being a bonus.
"We were able to go through all the work together, sit next to each other, help each other with homework and questions and bounce off each other, which was really good," she said.
"It was really lucky to also have Billy - my partner - as well. The three of us bouncing off each other for that extra support through such a tough time."
Along with friend Abbey McCarthy, the four nurses had gone through school and university together and were now working at Bendigo Health.
"We've just always stayed close and then obviously coming to La Trobe and doing the same course, we all accidentally fell into it at the same time," Aish said.
"There wasn't any particular reason for me choosing nursing. It is such a hands on job and I knew that I wanted to do something in the health field and that it was a job that you would be rewarding.
"It's a very caring job and I just felt like I would suit that role. I'm up on the rehab ward and you definitely feel the reward of helping patients and being there with them throughout their journey of recovery."
Kealy had previously studied and worked in beauty for seven years before pursuing her nursing degree.
"I felt like I just wanted to have a bit more of a challenge. I wanted a job that I was able to get more out of," she said.
"You can go so far in nursing and go in so many different directions to really find something that's your niche. I'm on the surgical ward at the moment and I love it there. Hopefully I'm going to the COVID ward next."
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The coronavirus pandemic provided challenges for the aspiring healthcare orks with many placements and classes postponed or changed.
"You do about 840 hours in total for your nursing degree and placement hours," Kealy said. "A lot of the times they were canceled or we had to then postpone them and make up time later on.
"Those hours are very crucial. That's where you learn your most important nursing and clinical skills."
An added education for the sisters was studying during a pandemic.
"We definitely had to adapt and learn the COVID-19 (protocols)," Aish said. "That was very interesting and an eye opener, especially if you're working with someone who's a suspected COVID case.
"It's helped make us the nurses that we are today and able to adapt quickly to different and changing environments."
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