AMY Barlow never thought it would be possible for her to be a nurse.

She was living under a self-imposed ceiling, believing aged care was her limit despite longing for more.

"I think I've always, always, always thought [nursing] would be an amazing career, but I just never thought I'd be able to do it," Ms Barlow said.

"I moved around a fair bit growing up and I didn't really like school, didn't have the best grades at school."

Everything changed when she moved to Bathurst and saw TAFE conducting intake for the Diploma in Nursing.

She decided to just give it a go.

It meant 400 hours of placement, all of which Ms Barlow completed at Bathurst Hospital while juggling study and a young family.

She said TAFE and the staff at the hospital "went above and beyond to help" her succeed, par

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