From the buzz of radio studios in Fiji to the corridors of aged care homes in Australia, Joselyn Singh’s transition from journalism to nursing came from a deep desire to care for others in their most vulnerable moments – in the same way she and her baby were cared for, when his 26-day-old life hung in the balance.
Now living in the suburbs of Mango Hill, far from the island nation she called home, former radio jockey Joselyn is navigating a complete career transformation, swapping her microphone for a stethoscope as she studies a Bachelor of Nursing at the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC).
Born and raised in Fiji, Joselyn spent her early career immersed in the world of broadcasting. After studying journalism, she began working as a radio jockey in 2009. For the next six years, she brought news and entertainment to the Fijian-Indian community, her voice becoming a familiar presence on the airwaves.
“I didn’t go back into communication after the move, because I thought my English wouldn’t be good enough for Australia.”
“In journalism, especially in talkback shows, I never knew what to expect next or what kind of topics I’d be covering,” she recalls, fondly remembering the excitement and unpredictability of her role.
But in 2015, life took a different turn when Joselyn’s husband, Avikash – an engineer – received a permanent resident visa under skilled migration to move to Australia, an important step for his career.
“I always asked him back in Fiji, ‘when are you taking me on an overseas trip?’ And he was like, ‘I'll take you on a one-way ticket,’ but I didn't believe him at that time,” she laughs.
While Joselyn fully embraced the adventure and her new Aussie home, it left a big question mark for her own prospects in radio.
“It was kind of heartbreaking initially,” she admits, referring to the challenge of leaving behind a vocation she loved, compounded by the barrier of English being her second language.
Instead, she found herself stepping into an entirely unfamiliar world—aged care.
“Initially I thought, what am I doing here?” she says, referring to her work in residential aged care facilities.
“But I soon realised my communication skills were handy… I was able to connect with people, and when I interacted with residents I broke the ice easily, so my journalism skills really helped.”
During the nine years Joselyn worked in aged care, she realised she wanted to grow her skills in this field. She was a natural carer and, over the years, the ‘why don’t you do nursing?’ comment had been a recurring theme from many people in both her inner and outer circle.
In 2018, inspired by her work experiences and having a “whole village push me into doing it,” she decided to pursue a career in nursing. Juggling her work with being the mum of a six-year-old boy – and with a second baby on the way – she planned to enrol in her studies after the baby was born.
But when her newborn son was just 26 days old, he suddenly fell seriously ill, and was rushed to hospital where he was diagnosed with meningitis.
“It was very traumatic and left a lasting impact on us, it’s something I hope no parent has to go through,” she says of the experience.
“My baby cried so much, and the doctors and nurses who were looking after him all had tears in their eyes as well… they had to do a lumbar puncture procedure to check what was going on with him.”
While her son is now a healthy six-year-old – she laughs that he is “a very spoiled little one” – after his illness, Joselyn reduced her work shifts and delayed her studies until he was old enough to start school, as they didn’t want to put him in day care.
Now in 2024, Joselyn is at last achieving her long-held ambition of studying a Bachelor of Nursing at UniSC’s Moreton Bay campus. She was excited to see the campus open in 2020, as it was conveniently close to her home.
“I'm able to finish class, pick my children up and be back home in time, which really helps with the juggle of being a working parent,” she says.
Her studies are now motivated by a special interest in paediatrics and rural nursing.
“The doctors and nurses who cared for my son were just amazing,” she says.
“I want to know about children’s health and explore it, bringing my understanding of what parents go through when their children are sick.
“I have come to realise it's those little things you do for people at the end of the day that counts – the nurses who provided reassurance when my baby was in hospital, who said, ‘go out and have a breath of fresh air,’ and ‘you’re going to be fine,’ and how much that reassurance meant to us.”
Balancing her studies with work and family has not been easy. Both their sets of parents are back in Fiji, so they don’t have any family help, though Joselyn says her husband – also studying for a master’s degree in engineering – has been very supportive.
The nursing course itself has been a steep learning curve, but she has found a way to manage a four-unit, fulltime study load – and do “really well” with all of them – through meticulous planning and the support of UniSC.
“Planning is very important, because even though the content is heavy, the time frames are there for you to be able to complete your assignments in time, and the tutors and course coordinators are amazing,” she says.
“I didn't expect this kind of university experience – it's been overwhelming, and I'm very happy.
“If you’re thinking, ‘uni is just not for me,’ or ‘I'm a mum so I won't study now,’ go for it – do it! Because if I can do it, then anyone can.”
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