Ballarat Campus nurses in Vanuatu.

Vanuatu study tour delivers invaluable life lessons

Natalie Linke, Megan Tweedie and Catrina Ryan are looking forward to their chosen career and didn't think twice when offered the opportunity to volunteer at a medical centre in Vanuatu.

The ACU nursing students joined nine of their fellow Ballarat Campus students on a recent study tour. The trio experienced different health care practices and cultures while learning invaluable life lessons.

Describing their experience as 'eye-opening', Natalie said she was surprised at the different standard of health care in developing countries.

"I have learnt never to take our health care system for granted," she said. "I now have a much greater appreciation of our high standards and excellent education - we have access to so much."

Megan said some standouts of the trip were immunising the local school children and helping to deliver a baby.

"We actually helped save this baby because it was stuck and they needed everyone to assist by doing their part," she said. "Seeing the mother's face when the baby was ok was an amazing experience."