Acting clinical nurse Khai Kamarudin.
Author | Carmelle Wilkinson
When Khai Kamarudin was growing up, there was no doubt in his mind that he wanted to be a nurse – just like his mum.
However, as time went on, he found himself on a completely different path – one which included a short stint as a light fabrication engineer and a police officer on the front line in Singapore.
“For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a nurse,’’ he said.
“My mum had a wonderful nursing career and when I was eight her profession took us from Singapore to the UK and then to Australia.
“I was excited at the prospect that a career in nursing could open doors and offer so many wonderful opportunities and experiences.”
However, Khai said his mum wasn’t completely sold on the idea of her son following in her footsteps and tried to talk him out of it.
“I always wanted to be a nurse, but my mum had her reservations. As the main breadwinner for our family, it couldn’t have been easy on her,” he said.
“She worked long hours and I know it was incredibly stressful at times, but I was lucky I still saw mum quite a lot and she always made dad and us kids her highest priority.
“When it came time for me to choose a career path, mum suggested I do something in mining, given we lived in WA now, and because I respect my mum and trust her advice, I agreed.
“I didn’t sit my ATAR and instead went through Australia’s Vocational Education and Training (VET) and got a certificate in light fabrication.”
Khai landed his first job at an engineering factory in Willetton, and despite financial security and being surrounded by a great group of work mates, there was still an itch that needed to be scratched.
“I just knew something wasn’t right. I wasn’t deeply fulfilled, and I started to feel like a cog in a machine,’’ he said.
About a year later, Khai was called back to his native country of Singapore to undertake two years of compulsory national service.
Dependant on a person’s medical history, aptitude test results, educational background and operational needs, young men were placed in either Singapore Armed Forces, Singapore Civil Defence Force or Singapore Police Force.
“I got into the police force and worked for more than a year on the front line,’’ he said.
“That was a huge culture shock, as I hadn’t lived in Singapore since I was eight and I didn’t really know my extended relatives that well, aside from speaking a few times over Facebook.”
As a fresh faced 18-year-old in the police force, Khai said he found the experience both challenging and enriching.
Khai (centre) as a guard of honour during his time on the Singapore Police Force.
“As tough as it was, I’m so grateful for that experience, because I truly believe it helped me develop and grow into the person I am today,’’ he said.
When Khai returned to Perth, he decided to waste no time in pursuing his true passion – nursing.
“But of course, when you get back to reality, and you return to your same job, that confidence slowly chips away. And I still had that nagging sound of my mum’s voice in my head telling me not to do it,’’ he laughed.
“I also wasn’t taught about alternative pathways to university, so I assumed because I didn’t sit my ATAR test, I could never study nursing anyway.
“But thankfully a good friend of mine explained it was possible and introduced me to UniReady.”
After passing with flying colours, Khai got into Curtin’s nursing program.
As for telling his Mum…
“She was ok with it. I think at that point she respected me as an adult and was like, oh well what can I do?” haha.
“I couldn’t be led by someone’s else’s experience, even if that person was my mum, I really needed to experience nursing for myself.”
Graduating in 2021, Khai was promoted to Acting Clinical Nurse at Fiona Stanley Hospital in 2023.
Khai at his graduation with his parents Hamidah Buang and Kamarudin Yusof.
Khai’s family have always been his biggest support team.
“For me, I always wanted a role where I could develop a rapport with my patients as well as provide them with a high level of care and service,’’ he said.
“In the spinal ward, patients are usually there for an extended period of time, so it’s wonderful seeing their progress and knowing I had some part to play in that.”
Khai said helping patients overcome the mental and physical trauma of a spinal injury was something he didn’t take lightly.
“The people we see on the ward have life-changing spinal injuries, whether that’s due to trauma, disease or a neurological disorder,’’ he said.
Khai said it was important to squash the stigma that nurses only provided bedside care and gave medications.
“There is so much more to nursing. Some days providing a listening ear and giving a patient space to open up is equally as important as administering their treatment. The healing journey isn’t just physical,’’ he said.
Khai said becoming an acting clinical nurse had enabled him to further his studies and really push himself beyond his wildest expectations.
“Yes, there are challenges that arise, especially from managing and coordinating your peers and staff, but I’ve learnt to overcome that,’’ he said.
“I’ve also been fortunate to receive some great advice from my mum, who worked as a nurse manager for many years.”
So, what has been her best advice?
“Her advice is when people seek help with any issues or problems, you need to find a way to build their confidence and guide them on how to best manage the issues, so that you work collaboratively to resolve any problems instead of solving the issues for them,’’ he said.
Looking back on his career journey, Khai said it was important to trust your gut.
Khai has a strong interest in helping others.
“If there is something you really want to do, my advice is go for it. You’ll regret it if you don’t,’’ he said.
“And I know this sounds super cheesy, but honestly just follow your heart, it will lead you to fulfilment and where you truly want to be.”
As for anyone contemplating a nursing degree at Curtin…
“I absolutely loved Curtin, and I would one hundred per cent recommend the nursing course,’’ he said.
“The only thing I will say is, make sure you have a strong passion and interest in helping others. Because some days the job can feel thankless and there will be challenges that arise, but for those who really want to serve and make a difference – it’s incredibly rewarding.
“There are also endless opportunities within the profession too. Your nursing degree can take you anywhere. You can start as an ED nurse, be promoted to a clinical nurse, and one day an educator.”
Khai’s long term goal is to become a nurse practitioner who specialises in spinal rehabilitation.
Author | Carmelle Wilkinson
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