By Courtney Beyers Baque, 26 September, 2025
Cancer care nurse Courtney Beyers Baque returned to study after an experience working overseas sparked an interest in improving health systems.
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What does your work in cancer care nursing involve?
I am part of the Oncology Liaison Nursing team at Queensland Children’s Hospital, responsible for caring for regional children and their families as they undergo cancer treatment.
I love being able to support the coping and resilience of children and families as they go through the challenges of health care access between our regions and here in Brisbane.
What do you find satisfying about working in cancer care?
It is really rewarding to build the support between our Brisbane services, our hardworking regional hospitals and local healthcare providers. We build these connections to make sure that our regional families are well supported through their toughest days during a challenging time.
I love the culture in my team, and the camaraderie within multidisciplinary teams.
I love being able to combine my clinical love for oncology alongside building supportive relationships with children and families and helping to guide them through the cancer care journey.
What are some of the exciting developments in cancer care nursing?
One exciting innovation in cancer care is the adoption of precision medicine, enabling more tailored treatments for children and young people facing a cancer diagnosis.
We are only in the beginning phases of introducing such treatment pathways and I am excited to see what future research finds.
Another development is the changing nature of how nurses provide support in cancer care pathways. Advanced practice nurses are well-suited to provide clinical expertise and support for complex care needs.
What led you doing your postgraduate nursing degree?
After working overseas and then moving to Australia, I was curious about the successes, challenges and sustainability of the Australian mixed market, public and private, health system.
I wanted to understand perspectives of the Australian health care system from various disciplines – business, public policy, economics and historically.
I love learning and I found the coursework very helpful in bridging the gap between the US healthcare system and understanding why the Australian healthcare system is the way it is.
What was the advantage of doing postgraduate nursing qualifications?
Completing higher qualifications has opened up opportunities for me. My learnings have been valuable and allowed me to move into clinical nursing and clinical nurse consultant roles within Queensland.
While it can be hard to study while working, both the education you receive and the qualifications you acquire do enable you to take on projects and leadership opportunities.
What helped you to balance your studies while working?
It was fantastic to have a variety of course delivery that supported me as a young mother.
The flexible learning model allowed for pausing study, attending lectures in-person to connect with other students, live conferencing and accessing recorded videos outside of work hours.
These options enabled me to balance work, study, and have a thriving family life all at the same time.
What advice would you give to someone considering postgraduate studies at QUT?
Go for it! Pursuing further study really does open a wide range of doors to healthcare careers.
While learning about healthcare policy and healthcare economics can be daunting to start, it really does enable you to become part of the healthcare leadership that makes a difference in the lives of so many people.
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