Makeleta Lataipangai
After experiencing the impact compassionate healthcare can have on patients and families, Makeleta Lataipangai chose nursing to support others through some of life’s most vulnerable moments
“When I was younger, I spent time in hospital and the nurses
who cared for me left a lasting impression,” she says. “Their compassion and
the way they created a safe environment for both me and my family really stayed
with me.”
For Makeleta Lataipangai, nursing has always been closely connected to care, compassion, and community. Personal experiences with healthcare from a young age shaped her decision to study nursing and continue supporting others through difficult moments.
Those experiences helped shape her desire to support others through vulnerable moments and pursue a career where she could make ameaningful difference for patients, families, and the wider community.
Now studying the Bachelor of Nursing at Waipapa Taumata Rau,
Makeleta says one of the things she enjoys most is seeing classroom learning
come to life during placements and clinical skills sessions.
“I’ve loved learning about the science behind nursing, understanding the human body, medications, and how different conditions affect people,” she says. “Applying that knowledge in practical settings is where
everything starts to feel real.”
Working directly alongside patients has also become one ofthe most meaningful parts of her studies.
“I’ve learnt so much not only from nurses, but from patients
themselves,” she says. “Their experiences and perspectives have deepened my
understanding of care.”
As a first-generation New Zealand-born Tongan student,
Makeleta says learning about health inequities affecting Māori and Pasifika
communities has had a strong impact on her.
“It’s been both confronting and motivating,” she says. “I hope to become someone who can provide culturally safe care and be a familiar face in the healthcare workforce for our communities.”