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This book explicates how mature-aged nursing students living in rural Australia who choose to undertake university studies leading to licensure as Registered Nurses reconstruct themselves as nursing students. The constructed grounded theory Becoming a Registered Nurse explains the university journey as a complex social process whereby mature-aged undergraduate students´ lives are fraught with contestation between their roles and responsibilities as students, partners, parents, homemakers and employees. This desire to be a Registered Nurse facilitates mature people taking the first step and enrolling in university. Self- efficacy, resilience and tenacity were identified as intrinsic factors that enable students to manage the numerous challenges they encounter throughout their university journey.

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Vicki is a Registered General and Psychiatric Nurse with additional qualifications in education, ophthalmic nursing and men´s health. After many years working throughout Australia Vicki moved to Singapore where she continues to undertake research in self-management, mental health and ophthalmology at the National University of Singapore.

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