She completed her New Zealand certificate in health and wellbeing (level 3) health assistance with the support of Dunedin Hospital and work-based training provider Careerforce.
She works in the orthopaedic ward 3 at the hospital, assisting nurses to keep patients safe.
In a statement, she said she wanted to do the programme so she would have a formal qualification for all the work that she has done there.
"It’s about being recognised. I can say ‘hey, I’ve done this, I’m confident in what I’m doing, and I have the qualification to prove it’."
There was "always something different" working in the ward, she said.
"Elderly patients come in after a fall with a broken hip. When they come back from theatre, they are often very confused."
The programme reinforced what healthcare assistants were already doing and was a great opportunity to build on existing knowledge that was evidence-based and met the needs of patients, she said.
