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January 22, 2025

A nursing graduate’s dedication to giving back

Lucas Mackenzie shares his inspiring journey as he begins his new chapter in nursing

Lucas Mackenzie, a nursing graduate from the ¾«¶«´«Ã½ of ¾«¶«´«Ã½’s (UOW) Eurobodalla campus, is set to begin an exciting new chapter as a registered nurse.

Born in Darwin to a military family, Lucas’s journey to nursing began at a young age. His family’s public service roles inspired him to pursue a career where he could benefit others in his community. 

“Almost every member of my extended family has served their community, going back generations. My grandmother was a midwife from Batemans Bay, where my great grandfather was a policeman,” Lucas said.

Initially pursuing a double degree in international security studies and a Bachelor of Arts at the Australian National ¾«¶«´«Ã½, Lucas experienced significant difficulties both in his studies and his personal life. These challenges led to him leaving to work as a security guard.

Several years later, his experiences responding to several medical emergencies rekindled his desire to help others, and he began studying nursing and paramedicine at the Australian Catholic ¾«¶«´«Ã½.

However, this was not the end of the challenges facing Lucas. The COVID-19 pandemic posed its own set of obstacles, particularly online learning, which he struggled to overcome. These now familiar struggles led to him being diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD).

With new perspective, Lucas took a break from his studies and made the decision to relocate to Batemans Bay, where he enrolled at the UOW Eurobodalla campus. The small, supportive environment of the campus provided him with the close-knit connections and hands-on learning he needed to thrive in his studies.

“I’m so grateful to all the teaching staff at the UOW Eurobodalla campus. I really feel like their hands-on and personal approach supported me to learn how to thrive despite my ADD, particularly when it came to balancing my academic workload and working on my mental and physical health,” Lucas said.

Throughout his time at UOW Eurobodalla Lucas dedicated himself to improving his physical and mental health as well as his academic abilities, losing over 40 kilograms in 16 months, setting an example in discipline and self-care for himself and others.

_{Lucas has lost over 40 kilograms in 16 months, setting an example in discipline and self-care for himself and others.}

“I’m passionate about being a good nurse and helping others, but I realised I needed to lead by example and take care of myself properly too,” he said.

His academic progress mirrored this transformation. His grades steadily improved from passing units to consistently obtaining high distinctions, eventually graduating his Bachelor of Nursing with distinction.

Along with the learning environment and quality of teaching staff, Lucas described his diverse clinical placements as another rewarding aspect of his education at UOW.

“I gained hands-on experience from Moruya District Hospital to St George in Kogarah, Sydney, in a diverse range of clinical areas including surgical, haematological, mental health, and acute stroke units, to emergency departments and beyond.

“I’ve seen a bit of everything and have been fortunate to meet some incredible people working in these areas along the way, who have really inspired me and solidified my passion for nursing.”

_{Lucas with his dad John Mackenzie at his graduation ceremony.}

Lucas also found inspiration from his peers:

“Quite a few are single parents who juggled their parenting with their studies and even full-time work as enrolled nurses. It really put my own issues in perspective and taught me a lot about managing life’s demands while performing to a high standard.”

Lucas is preparing to move to Mount Isa in Queensland, to work in the emergency department at Mount Isa Hospital. He intends to gain experience, before returning to Eurobodalla in the future.

“My new role involves treating a diverse range of health conditions in a remote area with limited resources and often increased scope of practice, so I’m excited and very grateful for the opportunity. I hope it aligns well with the skillset I’ve developed so far.”

As Lucas begins his exciting next step in his career, his advice to other students facing challenges balancing life and studies is simple:

“Be kind to yourself and remember its ok to ask for help. Lean on your support network when you need, and if you're passionate about something, keep pushing forward. It might be a long process, but you’ll get there in the end.”