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Healthy relationship in this family
Carmen Keno her mother Deirdre Archer. Picture: Tracey Robinson (040305tr3)
By ALISON BROWN in Rotorua
The Archer family has had double the reason to celebrate an educational milestone this week.
Mother Deirdre Archer and daughter Carmen Keno officially graduated with the same nursing degree from Waiariki Institute of Technology yesterday, although they took different routes to get there.
Carmen, the eldest of six Archer children, qualified with a Diploma in Nursing after first attending the institute nine years ago.
She worked at Whakatane Hospital, had two children, then enrolled in the Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Nursing programme three years later. Studying by correspondence, she was able to fit her assignments around her job and family.
Her mother Deirdre enrolled in the degree programme in 2002 after spending several years volunteering for Hospice and working as a secretary.
"The kids were basically off my hands and as a volunteer, I'd spent a bit of time in people's homes caring for them," she said.
"There were a few times when I'd have to call a nurse and I thought sometimes it would be easier if I could do some of the things they did myself."
Unlike her daughter, she studied fulltime at Waiariki, and as an adult student relished the opportunity to kickstart a new career.
"The study was full on at first because it was so different to what I imagined it would be, but I really enjoyed using my brain again."
When both students passed their exams last year, it meant they were able to graduate together.
Carmen said she was extremely proud of her mother for passing all the rigorous exams.
"I had trouble enough studying when I was 21 so she's done so well at 41."
Both women are working at Whakatane Hospital - Deirdre as a nurse in the medical ward while her daughter works in the emergency department.
After only a few months in the job, Deirdre said she was loving her new career.
"I'm getting to the point where I'm starting to relax more and really enjoy the work.
"It's not too unlike being a mother."
The women were among 109 Waiariki Institute of Technology students who marched through Rotorua's central city from City Focus to the Rotorua Convention Centre yesterday to receive their degrees and diplomas.
A separate graduation ceremony was held at the institute's Tangatarua Marae on Thursday. Another 71 students graduated in absentia.
The Archer family has had double the reason to celebrate an educational milestone this week.
Mother Deirdre Archer and daughter Carmen Keno officially graduated with the same nursing degree from Waiariki Institute of Technology yesterday, although they took different routes to get there.
Carmen, the eldest of six Archer children, qualified with a Diploma in Nursing after first attending the institute nine years ago.
She worked at Whakatane Hospital, had two children, then enrolled in the Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Nursing programme three years later. Studying by correspondence, she was able to fit her assignments around her job and family.
Her mother Deirdre enrolled in the degree programme in 2002 after spending several years volunteering for Hospice and working as a secretary.
"The kids were basically off my hands and as a volunteer, I'd spent a bit of time in people's homes caring for them," she said.
"There were a few times when I'd have to call a nurse and I thought sometimes it would be easier if I could do some of the things they did myself."
Unlike her daughter, she studied fulltime at Waiariki, and as an adult student relished the opportunity to kickstart a new career.
"The study was full on at first because it was so different to what I imagined it would be, but I really enjoyed using my brain again."
When both students passed their exams last year, it meant they were able to graduate together.
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"I had trouble enough studying when I was 21 so she's done so well at 41."
Both women are working at Whakatane Hospital - Deirdre as a nurse in the medical ward while her daughter works in the emergency department.
After only a few months in the job, Deirdre said she was loving her new career.
"I'm getting to the point where I'm starting to relax more and really enjoy the work.
"It's not too unlike being a mother."
The women were among 109 Waiariki Institute of Technology students who marched through Rotorua's central city from City Focus to the Rotorua Convention Centre yesterday to receive their degrees and diplomas.
A separate graduation ceremony was held at the institute's Tangatarua Marae on Thursday. Another 71 students graduated in absentia.
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