Murdoch Nursing Lecturer in Simulated Learning and Clinical Practice, Cormac Norton, has always been interested in helping others, with a keen interest in science and caring for injured and acutely ill people.
Choosing to study Nursing opened a lifelong passion for teaching and empowering others who are passionate about the same things.
I started as a student nurse in Bedford, England in 1988, having emigrated from Dublin, Ireland. I graduated as a Registered Nurse in 1991 and undertook a graduate programme in Trauma Care, rotating through an orthopaedic/trauma ward, trauma operating theatre and the Emergency Department (ED).
I developed a great passion for emergency care and was privileged to be offered a full-time position as a staff nurse in the Emergency Department in the hospital I had trained at where went on to become a Charge Nurse (leading the ED), gaining more skills.
My interest in emergency care and need for autonomy saw me taking up a role as an Emergency Nurse Practitioner in ED. This was a role where I could assess, manage, treat and discharge my own patients, without them needing to see a doctor. While this is commonplace these days in the UK, at the time it was rarity.
I developed an interest in teaching and in 2007 I took a Lecturer Practitioner role. In this role I was able to practice as a nurse practitioner and practice as a lecturer – a fantastic role.
The journey to teaching Nursing at Murdoch University
As I gained experience, I found that I thoroughly enjoyed teaching and supporting students. I love seeing the ‘light-bulb moment’ when a student grasps a complex topic for the first time.
I gained a position as a Senior Lecturer and subsequently Programme Leader in Nursing at DeMontfort University, Leicester.
In 2016, I was offered a position as a lecturer in the nursing team at Murdoch University where the nursing discipline is dynamic and innovative. I have been fortunate to work in our simulation laboratories for a great deal of my time here and our labs are the envy of many other nursing schools - not only in the state but former colleagues have expressed envy at the facilities we have.
Colleagues at Murdoch are constantly enthusiastic and seeking to improve the quality of student education – something that is key in nursing care.
Cormac’s 5 top tips for Nursing students
- Plan your study.
- Read about the topic – not just what is in the reading list.
- Study with people who are enthusiastic about what you are learning about.
- If you are struggling – ask for help early.
- Be kind to yourself!
Explore what it’s like to study nursing at Murdoch.
