Keryn Abberton has a passion for perioperative nursing.Clinical nurse Keryn Abberton knows first hand the importance of having caring and competent nursing staff.

Not only is she the Clinical Facilitator for the Operating Theatre at Princess Alexandra Hospital, she has been at her husband's bedside as he fought against lymphoma.

Keryn has been nursing since she was 17 years old, first as an Assistant-in-Nursing at a nursing home and later as a hospital-based enrolled nurse. It was years before she had the opportunity to complete her degree through Griffith University in 2000.

In her first year of her degree her husband Barry was diagnosed with lymphoma.

"I just wanted to give it away, but my husband insisted I keep going..." Keryn remembered.

"It was a bit hard at times, but it paid off."

Keryn was granted membership into the Golden Key Honour Society for her outstanding academic achievement and excellence.

Barry eventually recovered and Keryn has now worked at the Princess Alexandra Hospital for 7 years. She has also completed the Perioperative Nurse Graduate Program.

With a Queensland Health education grant, she was able to complete the Graduate Certificate in Perioperative Nursing via distance education at Central Queensland University. The Graduate Certificate is an interim award of CQU's Master of Clinical Practice degree.

Since her first year at the hospital she has progressed from a Level 1 Registered Nurse to Clinical Nurse and was appointed to the position of Clinical Facilitator for Operating Theatre at the beginning of this year.

"I was only interested in becoming a registered nurse - that was my life-long goal. I never thought for a moment I would do any further study or hold any higher position than that."

Having cared for medical, surgical, paediatric and elderly patients in a variety of settings, Keryn's passion is for perioperative nursing. Perioperative nursing is caring for the patient holistically through all areas of the peri-operative unit to ensure a smooth uneventful surgical experience.

"I want to be there for the patient, to be the patient advocate."

"We are there to ensure the patient is cared for the way I would expect to be cared for."