Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti
5 minutes ago
Kat Williams has been appointed Head of the School of Nursing at EIT.
An experienced nurse who has risen through the academic ranks at EIT, has been appointed Head of the School of Nursing.
Katherine (Kat) Williams, who was until her new appointment, programme co-ordinator for the Bachelor of Nursing, began working at EIT in 2017,
“I started off as a casual practicum lecturer, so I was supporting students out on clinical, and then from there I just got more and more involved. I worked my way up to a full-time position and spent most of my time in the first year team.”
After returning from maternity leave for the birth of her first son, Kiwa, Kat took on the role of programme co-ordinator for the Bachelor of Nursing. She was in the role for 14 months before she went on maternity leave for her second son, Te Ariki. She returned in April to assist with Nursing Accreditation- and fulfilled the role of Acting Assistant Head of School until the end of October this year.
Kat says that having the support of her partner, whānau , friends and colleagues has made fulfilling her roles at EIT possible.
“Although this position is for me, it’s for my whānau too- they are the ones that keep me grounded, motivated, and undoubtably support me.”
It has been a journey for Kat to get to this position, with COVID-19, Cyclone Gabrielle, changes to EIT and Te Pūkenga, as well as changes in the leadership of the School of Nursing all having to be navigated.
One thing is for certain, Kat brings a vast array of experience in all facets of nursing overseas and in New Zealand. Born in Rotorua and schooled in Tokoroa, Kat studied for her nursing degree at Massey University and her Master’s degree at the University of Auckland.
She started off the new graduate programme at Tauranga Hospital, working in Kaupapa Māori and a surgical ward. After 18 months there she decided to apply for a role at Camp America and ended up being the summer camp nurse, before jumping in a campervan with friends to see the United States.
After another stint in a surgical ward at a hospital in Darwin, Australia, Kat tried her luck in Saudia Arabia. While she enjoyed her time there, she then followed her yearnings to return to Alice Springs, Australia . She soon became a nurse educator filling in as maternity cover, which ended up being a two-and-a-half year stint.
Kat’s final adventure took a different direction – working in the emergency department in Tennant Creek. Although it was exciting and there was lots of learning, she then had a desire to return home to Aotearoa.
She then worked for TriEX in Auckland and WOHC in Hamilton. Her endeavour at that stage was to continue nursing within an Occupational Health and safety space- however, her now husband lived in Hawke’s Bay so this changed the plan somewhat.
“This led to my interest in working at EIT within nursing education- and I’ve been here ever since.”
Now that she is Head of School, Kat is focussing on building her leadership team, as well as the wider academic team in the School. She is also focussed on strengthening the relationships with key stakeholders and gaining an understanding of their needs and the reality of the current workforce demands.
Kat also believes that research is an important part of the School of Nursing and says that in consultation with EIT’s Research team and the Faculty Dean exciting opportunities for this space to grow and develop are on the cards “however, not overnight.”
Dr Helen Ryan-Stewart, EIT’s Executive Dean, Education, Humanities and Health Science, says: “We’re thrilled to have Kat step up into the Head of School, Nursing role. With her extensive experience in nursing in Aotearoa and worldwide, and her proven track record of educational delivery, we’re confident that she will bring a fresh perspective and innovative ideas to our Faculty.”
“It is fantastic to be able to promote from within the organisation, and Kat has consistently demonstrated her commitment to EIT’s values. Kat’s energy is infectious, and we’re excited to see how she’ll inspire and motivate the nursing team.”
