Taylah Mitten was born at Tenterfield Hospital in the 90s and in 2007 her family relocated to Newcastle where she completed high school and university.

She moved back 'home' in April of this year.

"I thoroughly enjoy the town, it's so beautiful and the people who live here are extremely friendly and welcoming," Ms Mitten said.

"I've enjoyed running into people that I haven't seen for many years."

Ms Mitten said she 'absolutely loved' working at Tenterfield District Hospital.

"I couldn't have asked for a more supportive and guiding team of nurses to help me transition from urban nursing to rural nursing," she said.

But it doesn't come without its challenges.

"It can be tough caring for people you know because with the characteristics of illness, patients can deteriorate quickly and you never know what's around the corner," Ms Mitten said.

"In saying that, it is extremely rewarding being a part of a patient's road to recovery and knowing that you assisted in regaining their health for them to return home."

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But it wasn't just the career that has brought Ms Mitten back to Tenterfield.

She has a strong family connection with her maternal grandparents Peter and Denise having moved to the region in the 60s.

"I've known for a long time that I'd eventually migrate back to Tenterfield - even before I was nursing," Ms Mitten said.

"I've always been extremely close with my grandparents so moving back to Tenterfield to be reunited with them again was a high priority.

"My Mum and brother recently moved back to Tenterfield from Newcastle too so it's really lovely that we can all be together again and spend some quality time as a family.

"It's just a bonus that I now get to work at the local hospital helping those who need it most."

In fact, her mother also works in administration at the hospital. And it was she who revealed a charming story from the past about a photograph that once hung on the wall.

"From what I've been told, we all arrived at the hospital for a photo day and our mums had dressed us in matching Gumnut Babies outfits and it wasn't planned," Ms Mitten said. "And we were also born in consecutive months (June, July, August)."

The picture was hanging in the hospital for many years but when renovations started it was taken down.

"When my Mum first started working at the hospital, about eight months ago, she asked all of the other employees where the photo was and no-one knew where it had disappeared to," Ms Mitten said.

"It wasn't until four weeks ago that it was found in a little storage room and there are plans in place to re-hang the photograph shortly."

There is still one nurse Ms Mitten works with now that was at the hospital at the time she was born.

"She can't quite remember the day as a lot of babies have been birthed in the maternity ward over the years but I think it's really quite special working with her now," Ms Mitten said.

"The parts of the hospital that I vaguely remember from when I was young, have changed drastically. I remember walking through the halls with my nan, she was a member of the hospital auxiliary for years, but it has all changed since then."

Ms Mitten's favourite part of nursing is spending quality time with a patient.

"Discussing their goals to improve their health, utilising a specific individualised approach with the multidisciplinary team and achieving that goal in order to improve their condition and to see them return home with good health," she said.

"I strive to put in 110 per cent with every patient in my care so I know, and they know, that I give my job everything I have to offer.

"The most challenging part of nursing for me personally is that no matter how hard you try and how much you give to your patient/s in every shift, there are unfortunately some circumstances in which a patient reaches the end of their life.

"I just always remind myself that I provided the very best care I could in the time that I spent nursing the patient/s and that I was able to make a difference in their last few stages of life."

Ms Mitten is the first nurse on both sides of her family.

"I didn't grow up knowing anyone in the medical field, but the nurses I've worked alongside in the past and present are a really big inspiration to me and the kind of nurse I want to be," she said.

Ms Mitten studied a Bachelor of Nursing at the University of Newcastle and graduated in 2020.

"I originally started my nursing degree in 2016 and completed the first 12 months, but then I took 12 months off to live in the United Kingdom and worked as an au pair and travelled to 24 countries in Europe," she said.

"I also changed my degree a few times in between to radiation therapy and occupational therapy but found my way back to the nursing degree.

"When I graduated, I relocated to Tamworth to commence my New Graduate Nursing Program at Tamworth Base Hospital where I did the first six months. I decided to move back to Newcastle where I completed the remaining six months of the program at the Calvary Mater Hospital.

"My role involves a holistic care approach to patients, as well as family members, and ensuring that their care needs and goals are met while under my care."