Recent Bachelor of Nursing graduate, Minien Cheng, is excited to be able to give back to her adopted country. Minien moved to New Zealand over 10 years ago with her Kiwi husband who was living with Huntington’s Disease.
Working as a support worker for Healthcare NZ and looking after her husband, Philip, Minien engaged with a wide range of healthcare professionals, including GPs, nurses, occupational therapists, clinical coordinators and more.
“I saw everything about how they care for a person and really came to know about person-centred care. I was inspired and thought that this is where I can really do something to give back to the home I really love,” said Minien.
When Minien first arrived in New Zealand, a move that enabled her husband to be closer to family, she was not confident that her English skills were at a level to be able to study and work as a nurse in New Zealand.
“I got my citizenship in July and now it is time to pay it forward. I have my nursing degree now and I am starting the NETP programme in September. My goal is to work in the community. It is where you have contact with people and can really get to know the person,” said Minien.
Minien carries a quote from poet and civil rights activist, Maya Angelou, close to her heart.
“Maya Angelou said be a rainbow in somebody else’s clouds. When there is a cloud in my sky, I have got lots of rainbows, so now it is my turn to be a rainbow,” she said.