In celebration of International Nurses' Day this Tuesday, 12th May, we hear from Caitlin Marett ~ former radio producer turned registered nurse. Trading a 10 year career in radio broadcasting for study books + nursing life, Caitlin shares why it was the best decision she has made. Highlighting the ups + downs, to the moments that make it all worthwhile, unpacking what it truly means to be a nurse in Aotearoa.
From Tuesday 12th May - Sunday 31st May 2026, we will be offering 20% off all full priced RUBY, Liam, third-party + RSR pieces to nurses in store only. A valid nurse ID must be shown at purchase. T&C’s apply
"Some moments are confronting. Some days are heartbreaking. Showing up for your patients, no matter what is happening in your own life, can be incredibly taxing. But there are also moments of laughter and of hope..."
In 2020, I left a successful 10-year career in radio broadcasting to return to Ōtautahi and university at 30 years old and train to become a nurse.
Some people thought I was crazy.
“But you have such a cool, glamorous job with such exciting opportunities and incredible colleagues. You got to meet Justin Bieber!!”
But it was through my volunteer work outside of broadcasting that I realised what I truly wanted was to do something that felt more meaningful to me.
So, I became a student again - something I know is a great privilege that not everyone has the opportunity to do. And so far, it’s been the best decision I could have made.
Of course, nursing is hard. Shift work and night shifts take a toll mentally and physically. We miss meal breaks, work short-staffed, and many of us can relate to making it through most of a shift without a chance to use the bathroom.
Some moments are confronting. Some days are heartbreaking. Showing up for your patients, no matter what is happening in your own life, can be incredibly taxing.
But there are also moments of laughter and of hope. We celebrate the small wins, and on good days, we hear from patients who are out there thriving. These moments outweigh the challenges for me.
To be trusted to care for patients and their whānau - to support them, advocate for them and to cry with them during the most difficult times of their lives - is both an honour and deeply humbling.
I feel incredibly lucky to have found my passion and speciality so early in my nursing career, along with the best colleagues I could ask for - the only other people who can truly understand the emotional weight of the job. We are each other's support through those hard days.
Most of all, I am lucky that my mum is a nurse too, and that understanding ear at the end of a rough shift. I hope that one day I can be the kind of nurse that she is.
And while nurses deserve recognition, safe staffing and fair pay, what keeps many of us going is our patients.
Written by Caitlin Marrett
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