Former dental assistant Brooke Lewry of Bald Hills, north Brisbane, has landed an exciting role as a theatre nurse at a major Brisbane hospital.

Brooke, 25, who received a Bachelor of Nursing Science from the University of the Sunshine Coast when she graduated last month, is now working as a perioperative nurse at The Prince Charles Hospital at Chermside.

“This is a dream come true for me,” she said. “I chose to study Nursing Science because I wanted to be a theatre nurse, and all that hard work has paid off.”

Perioperative nurses provide care for patients in the period prior to and immediately after surgery. They also have specialty roles in the pre-operative holding bay, during surgery (as instrument and circulating nurses) and in the recovery room.

“What I enjoy most about my job is providing safe care, being the patient’s advocate and being a part of the surgery that provides them with a better quality of life,” she said.

Brooke, who completed Year 12 at Craigslea State High School in 2010 and then worked as a dental assistant, said her Nursing Science degree had prepared her well for her new role.

“My studies at USC have enabled me to not only understand my key responsibilities as a nurse, but also how my actions play a major role in a person's health,” she said.

“Once you understand how important you are to a patient's future, you really value yourself and your career.”

Brooke said having quality one-on-one time with her tutors was the highlight of her degree.

“The tutors try their absolute best to remember the students' names, and this small gesture really enables you to build a solid and trusting rapport with your educators,” she said.

“And the campus is just beautiful. The university is so eco-friendly that at times you can study under a tree near a kangaroo.”

Brooke completed her degree last year and was among 1,700 students to formally graduate from USC in April.

Applications are now open for mid-year entry to study at USC, with Semester 2 starting July 23. Details on how to apply can be found at www.usc.edu.au/learn

USC’s annual Open Day at its main Sunshine Coast campus will be held on Sunday 22 July and at its Caboolture campus on Sunday 5 August.