A deeper understanding of care
Highlights
- Kim Holz returned to study at 50, building on her experience as an enrolled nurse to become a registered nurse.
- ACU’s Bachelor of Nursing has helped Kim deepen her understanding of disease and provide more informed, personalised care in palliative nursing.
- Her story shows that it’s never too late to keep learning, ask questions and take the next step in your nursing career.
At 50, Kim Holz is proof that it’s never too late to keep learning, ask more questions and take the next step in your nursing career.
An enrolled nurse working in palliative care in Canberra, Kim is studying ACU’s Bachelor of Nursing (Enrolled Nursing) on a vocational education and training (VET) pathway, building on the experience she has gained throughout her nursing career.
For Kim, the decision to transition from enrolled nurse (EN) to registered nurse (RN) was driven by curiosity.
“As the years progressed being an EN, I was always wanting to know more,” she says. “I wanted to understand why things were happening at a much deeper level.”
Following a long-held calling
Kim’s path to nursing wasn’t a traditional one.
Before becoming a nurse, she worked in legal and policy roles in the public service. Nursing was something she had always wanted to pursue, but there was one thing holding her back.
“I was scared of needles and blood,” she says.
That fear didn’t last long.
After completing her enrolled nursing training at the Canberra Institute of Technology, Kim found herself working in a vascular ward, where she quickly discovered she could handle much more than she had imagined.
Years later, her experience as an EN has given her a strong foundation. But she wanted to build on that knowledge and better understand what was happening beneath the surface for the people in her care.
From experience to deeper knowledge
Kim says studying to become an RN has helped her connect her practical nursing experience with a deeper understanding of disease and the body.
That has been particularly valuable in her work in palliative care, where every patient has individual needs and often complex, life-limiting illnesses.
“Having a deeper understanding of the pathophysiology of each disease and life-limiting illness has really helped me deliver care specific to those needs,” she says.
“It helps me understand what is actually happening in the body and how it responds.”
For Kim, that knowledge isn’t just about gaining another qualification. It’s about becoming a more informed and confident nurse and using that understanding to provide better care.
“I’m proud that I’ve made it this far,” she says. “My knowledge has expanded and I feel I can better serve my patients.”
Finding connection in the classroom
When Kim was considering where to continue her studies, she spoke to other enrolled nurses who had made the transition to becoming an RN through ACU.
Their experiences helped give her the confidence to take the next step.
She was also drawn to ACU’s smaller university environment and the opportunity to learn in more connected tutorial settings.
“I liked the fact it was a smaller university, so I could get the most out of tutorial sessions,” she says.
“For me, being able to connect, ask questions and really engage with the learning was important.”
While returning to study has not always been easy, Kim says the challenge has been worthwhile.
And she has no regrets about taking the next step in her nursing career.
Still learning, still looking ahead
Kim’s journey continues to open new opportunities.
Next year, she will represent ACU in the Philippines alongside other nursing students, an experience she is particularly excited about.
It is another opportunity to learn, broaden her perspective and keep growing as a nurse.
She encourages other enrolled nurses who are considering the transition to RN to give themselves the opportunity to take that next step.
“Although it’s been challenging, I highly recommend other ENs transition to RN,” she says.
“It really makes you a better nurse.”
Published 2026