Jean Smithson has long been at the front line of nursing and healthcare in Opotiki, as a Practise Nurse & School Health Nurse, and at the forefront of immunisations to protect the young and the vulnerable. Jean gained and held the trust and confidentiality of her many patients and in return, she provided primary care. Now, in 'retirement' but as busy as ever, Jean has identified that in her community, its really tough to get committed health professionals, especially nurses keeping the health of the community in check. Through her generosity Jean has a plan to try and address this shortfall by providing an annual scholarship to local nurses wanting to return to work, after having had a family, or to retrain in an aspect of nursing that is sorely needed in the Opotiki and coastal communities...be that plunket & child health, palliative care, midwifery, diabetes or asthma management, mental health & addiction, sexual health, vaccinations ... the scope is wide and varied.
Applications will be accepted on an annual basis, for 'return to registration' nursing, along with specialist or post graduate study as a Nurse Practitioner, school health nurse, palliative care, rural nursing, wound care and rehabilitation etc. It could be for a short course, or a year long course, all applications will be considered. The criteria is that any study MUST benefit the Opotiki District, and or the Opotiki coastal communities .
Shortly there will be a link on this page to the application form to apply for this scholarship.
