Some young men would be reluctant to be in the same university class as their mother, let alone also working alongside them.

Some would worry about the cramping of their style.

But Bundaberg nursing student Glen Challen has had no problems hanging around with his mum for the past few years.

Mother Sandra and son Glen have a 'healthy' study and work relationship

Glen and his mother Sandra are both enrolled in their final year of nursing at Central Queensland University's Bundaberg Campus.

In addition, both have shared clinical placements at health facilities and both are working part-time as personal carers at the Millbank Village residential facility. They will both be around the wards of Bundaberg Base Hospital this year for their final placements.

Pretty much the only (limited) time they have away from each other is when they engage in different hobbies - Glen on his computer games and Sandra in her garden.

Sandra explains that she and her son are very different personalities - a generational thing - but still get on really well together.

"My style is to hop in and finish my assignments as soon as possible while Glen is much more relaxed but still gets there in the end," Sandra says.

"When we get choices for assignments we tend to choose different topics, but we also can bounce ideas off each other and learn together with shared study packs."

Glen says the pair act in a professional manner in the clinical environment and collaborate to help each other achieve a successful placement.

"We get on at work because we don't air our differences in the workplace."

Sandra, 48, took up nursing studies after completing a CQU bridging (STEPS) program, having taken a redundancy at her previous job as an administrator. She found STEPS a boon to help with her transition back into study 30 years after leaving school.

Glen, 25, returned to his university studies after taking a few years off to live in Brisbane with his mates. So it was a stroke of coincidence that they both ended up in the same class.

"I came back to finish university because I enjoy caring for others and having a university qualification will allow me to pursue nursing at a more advanced level," Glen says.

Sandra notes that she and Glen both found university study has changed a lot in recent years, with more focus on electronic interaction and a more computer-based set-up to suit people who live away from the campus area.

"We have a great close-knit group of classmates who all get on together, and the campus staff are very supportive and accommodating which is great because nursing can be a hard course and would be particulary difficult to handle on your own."

She says nursing is a great study option because the pair are certain there will be a job available at the end, due to high demand for the profession in regional areas.

"We also enjoy working closely with other people and seeing an improvement in the patients from the care we deliver," Glen adds.

If the mother-and-son duo end up working together in the longer-term, they have a great attitude for success.