12 May 2026
Nurses: we can’t live without them. In recognition of International Nurses Day on 12 May, South Metropolitan TAFE (SM TAFE) commemorates our graduate nurses, and their vital contributions to health and wellbeing in our communities.
We take this opportunity to share the story of SM TAFE nursing student Alyssa, her Mum Rebecca, and her grandma, Barb. All three generations have undertaken the Diploma of Nursing at South Metropolitan TAFE to prepare for a rewarding career as an enrolled nurse.
It was Rebecca that started the journey; from a young age she wanted to become a nurse and remembers her dream to own a hospital called ‘Saint Rebeccas.’
This dream led her to start training at 38 years old, when her children were a bit older. Following her course at SM TAFE, she became the first nurse graduate to do a combined medical and mental health program at Hollywood Private Hospital.
Specialising in eating disorders treatment, Rebecca then completed her Bachelor of Nursing at university to become a registered nurse.
Rebecca has soared in the field of mental health and reached the pinnacle of her career in her current leadership role as Director of Nursing at the ESUS Centre in WA, which is the very first integrated private eating disorder hospital in Australia.
Remembering her starting point at SM TAFE, Rebecca says that her lecturers played an important role in her training journey.
“The lecturers were not only knowledgeable but often still working so they’re current in their skills and that’s also helpful when you’re going out on your clinical placements; you’re getting hands-on experience so you can really get in and start looking after your patients from your first prac”, Rebecca said.
Rebecca inspired her Mum Barb to quit her job of 30 years to take the leap and undertake nursing training. Barb also took a strong interest in the mental health field and worked with patients at high risk during her career.
In the younger generation of the family, Alyssa is soon to complete her Diploma of Nursing this year, with a career goal of becoming a paediatric nurse to care for children in need.
“I think watching my mum and my grandma really passionate about their job and helping people got me interested in becoming a nurse. I worked as an early childhood educator last year and was one of the main carers of a child with type one diabetes, which really inspired me to learn more about the medical field,” Alyssa said.
International Nurses Day on 12 May provides the opportunity for the world to pause and honour the essential contributions of nurses, and their remarkable impact. 12 May is the birthdate of nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale, and the theme for International Nurses Day 2026 is Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives.
On this day, we congratulate Rebecca and Barb for their outstanding collective contribution to the field of nursing in WA and wish Alyssa all the best with her training here at SM TAFE.
Have you got a passion for a career in care?
Nursing and Health Industry Day – 10:00am–2:00pm, Wednesday 13 May, Murdoch campus
Come along to our Nursing and Health Industry Day on Wednesday 13 May at South Metropolitan TAFE Murdoch campus, D Block. You can meet employers who support careers in Enrolled Nursing, Allied Health Assistants and more. This is a valuable opportunity to explore training and employment opportunities in the health industry. Entry is FREE!
Train at South Metropolitan TAFE
Our Nursing courses are currently Fee free.* Become qualified to start your career as an enrolled nurse and train in our real-world setting that emulates a hospital environment.
Take the first step with the Certificate IV in Preparation for Health and Nursing Studies. This course lays the academic foundation for entry into the Diploma of Nursing and the course is Fee free.*
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Check out the 52895WA Certificate IV in Preparation for Health and Nursing Studies(opens in a new tab) .
The Diploma of Nursing will qualify you to become an enrolled nurse, and the course is Fee free*. Train in our simulated hospital ward with state-of-the-art medical equipment.
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Check out the HLT4121 Diploma of Nursing(opens in a new tab) .
*This course is fee free** for residents of Western Australia. Some eligibility conditions apply for the fee free training and other fees may apply for some courses. Refer to the FAQs(opens in a new tab) for more information.
**Please note that eligibility requirements apply to some of the fee free training.