NURSE Emerson Worthington knows firsthand how vulnerable you have to be to rely on healthcare workers.
The Singleton man said it was surreal to graduate from the University of Newcastle (UoN) with a Bachelor of Nursing on Wednesday after overcoming huge challenges since starting his studies in 2017.
Mr Worthington severely injured his back while at work in the second year of his degree.
Staring down four surgeries and years of rehabilitation, doubt crept in.
"I had to learn to walk again, and it was a really slow process of probably two or three years to get back to the level of mobility I'm at today," he said.
"I thought 'no, there's no way I can go back to nursing'."
He said the university helped him rearrange his subjects and he managed to finish his clinical studies this year.
His hurdles only heightened his passion for helping people.
"I was bedridden for quite a period of time there, and the impact that nursing staff have on the wellbeing of their patients is just enormous," he said.
"So to understand what that level of vulnerability is like, I think definitely has influenced the way in which I look after people today."
Even before his injury, Mr Worthington was no stranger to perseverance.
He started having panic attacks late in high school and even though he loved learning and dreamed of going to uni, he couldn't finish his exams.
It was only when he moved to Singleton more than a decade ago that he realised there wasn't just one road to uni.
"I put barriers up in terms of what I thought I could achieve," he said.
"I thought, hang on a second, this is something I could do still, and realise that dream.
"It's a bit surreal to be here, to be honest."
Mr Worthington worked and volunteered for the St John Ambulance service during his studies, but even juggling all that, he's not ready to put the books down yet.
He has plans to apply to study medicine next year, and become a rural doctor.
About 1400 students are graduating from UoN during ceremonies at the Callaghan campus on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday this week.
Also among them was Sonia Bayley, who travelled to Newcastle from Alice Springs to celebrate completing her Master of Mental Health Nursing.
She deals with challenging situations through her work at the town's hospital, advising health staff on taking care of patients with mental illnesses, but it's a job she has a passion for.
She said she loved working with First Nations patients and learning every day.
"I love how in mental health you're working with the person holistically, it's a really special role to have in someone's life," she said.
"Just seeing people get better, it's just amazing."
Ms Bayley said she was inspired at the graduation ceremony on Wednesday to consider studying further, but for now she's keen to celebrate her achievement and get back to the Northern Territory.
She said Alice Springs was a "really lovely town" and encouraged anyone considering a rural move to take the leap and give it a try.
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