After more than a decade working on the frontlines of Australian mental health care, 59-year-old Lisa Arthurton decided to level up her nursing qualifications.
Little did she know, her teenage daughter would play a key role in some of her learning.
Now, Lisa is about to cross a personal milestone: graduating with a Master of Mental Health Nursing from the University of Newcastle – an achievement that has been years in the making – shaped as much by family and life's experiences as it has by professional drive.
Originally from the UK, Lisa moved to Australia in 2012. Though a qualified nurse, she found her gynaecology background didn't easily translate in her new home. It was a last-minute request to help fill a staffing shortage in a mental health ward in Broome, Western Australia, that changed everything.
"I put my hand up, and that was the moment," Lisa recalls. "It changed my whole view of nursing and my whole life, really. I loved it – and I've never looked back."
Since that disguised opportunity, Lisa has built a rewarding career in mental health nursing, working in both metropolitan hospitals like Fiona Stanley in Murdoch, WA, and remote communities in the Kimberley. But the academic path wasn't straightforward.
Arriving in Australia as a diploma-qualified nurse, considered equivalent to a bachelor's degree at the time, Lisa still felt the weight of not having a recognised Australian degree. With an eye on emigrating to Canada at some point and a desire to deepen her expertise, she enrolled in the University of Newcastle's Master of Mental Health Nursing.
But life, as it often does, had other plans.
Lisa and her husband Neil adopted their daughter Sacha when she was three years old. Now a strong-willed 18-year-old, Sacha has faced significant behavioural and emotional challenges stemming from early trauma. Those challenges came to the surface again, just as Lisa began her postgraduate study.
"There were times I'd sit down to study and just couldn't concentrate. It's hard to focus when your child is hurting," Lisa says.
Lisa's studies took longer than expected, but along the way, she discovered surprising connections between her coursework and her life.
"My daughter helped me understand youth mental health. And working with young patients helped me understand her," Lisa says. "It all came full circle."
A clinical facilitator as well as a frontline nurse, Lisa is now passing her passion on to the next generation. She tells her students that mental health nursing is less about tests and procedures, and more about deep listening and connection.
"If you love people and love communication – really getting to know someone – then this is the profession for you," she says. "It's about giving someone the time of day. That alone can change a life."
In her spare time, Lisa also works in Broome, helping with mental health and Indigenous nursing.
"The patients make your day. Every day is different, and every day you see someone you can help, even if it's not long term, you can certainly make a difference every day."
Lisa credits the University of Newcastle for creating a flexible and supportive online learning environment, with a curriculum broad enough to support her unique interests.
Though she's never set foot on Callaghan campus, she'll fly in for graduation at Newcastle City Hall, with her long-time friend, Caryl who lives in Maitland, cheering her on.
"She's been so excited about it, it'll be a lovely moment," Lisa says.
Her daughter Sacha hasn't said much. But Lisa knows her support and love runs deep.
"She saves it all for a card – Christmas, birthdays, Mother's Day. That's when I hear how she really feels."
Lisa Arthurton graduated from the Master of Mental Health Nursing at 6:30pm on Friday 18 July.
