Eleven years ago, I came to Australia from Vietnam as an international student. At that time, I was not the confident person I am today.
Some people did not believe I could do it. The interesting thing is, sometimes I believed them. I remember thinking that I would finish my nursing course, work for a few years and probably give up nursing. I couldn’t imagine where this profession could take me.
I didn’t want to prove other people wrong. I wanted to prove something to myself: I AM CAPABLE.
Eleven years later, I am a Senior Clinical Facilitator, educating and mentoring nurses and contributing to better care for older people. I have been nominated for local citizen recognition and the 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards, spoken at major nursing conferences, continued postgraduate study, and started building my own education business.
When I look back, I realise that there was no perfect career plan behind any of this.
I kept saying yes.
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“Let me do it.”
Earlier in my career, I learned not to look at every opportunity only for what it could give me immediately.
Sometimes an opportunity offered slightly less money but gave me experience. Sometimes I didn’t know exactly what I was doing yet. Sometimes I wondered whether I was good enough.
But I would think: “I am going to open that door.” “Give me that.” “Let me do it.”
That “can-do” attitude opened one door, then another. Every new experience gave me something I didn’t have before: knowledge, confidence, connections or simply the courage to try something bigger next time.
Of course, I don’t say yes to everything anymore. As I have grown, I have learned to be more selective about which opportunities align with my values and where I want to go.
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The girl who cried during a presentation
There is one part of my journey that still makes me smile.
I used to be terrified of public speaking.
I remember standing in front of my class for a presentation. I was so frightened that I freaked out and cried.
Yes, cried.
Today, public speaking is part of my job.
As a Senior Clinical Facilitator, I regularly stand in front of nurses to educate, facilitate and share knowledge. Eventually, I wanted my voice to travel beyond my workplace, so I started submitting abstracts to conferences.
I wasn’t successful at first.
Last year, my submissions were rejected.
But I didn’t stop.
I tried again. This year, two of my abstracts were accepted, and I found myself speaking at the Festival of Nursing 2026 and the Clinical Care in Aged Care Conference 2026 in Melbourne, sharing my ideas with large professional audiences. I couldn’t believe what I received after speaking.
– Huge applause, lots of compliments and many new connections.
Sometimes I think about that student who cried because she was afraid to speak in front of her classmates.
I wish I could tell her, “One day, you are actually going to love this.”
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Teacher was not my choice
I once said I would never become a teacher because I wasn’t patient enough.
But life has a sense of humour.
Today, education is one of the most meaningful parts of my career.
Through nursing education, I can influence care far beyond what I could provide to one person myself. When I help a nurse become more knowledgeable, confident or compassionate, that nurse carries it into every interaction with the people they care for.
That is why I am so passionate about education.
At the bottom of it all is a simple belief: everyone deserves to be cared for well.
My journey has also changed me personally. I have become calmer, more patient, more humble, more confident and, importantly, kinder.
And I am still learning.
I am continuing my postgraduate education in nursing, dementia care and gerontology leadership because I don’t believe there is a point where we simply arrive and stop growing.
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Now I want my “yes” to help other people
Success means something different to me now.
It is no longer only about how far I can go in my own career. I want the opportunities I receive to create opportunities for other people too.
I have started my own company with the ambition of enhancing nursing education, and I am exploring community projects and grants that can help older people live healthier and better lives.
– Will everything work? Probably not.
– I have failed before, and I expect I will fail again.
But failure doesn’t frighten me in the same way anymore.
I have learned that sometimes someone simply needs to be willing to say: “Let me try.”
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What if YOU say yes?
Saying yes doesn’t mean being fearless. It doesn’t mean accepting every opportunity that comes your way. And it certainly doesn’t guarantee success.
Sometimes, it simply means listening to your heart, trusting your potential and allowing yourself to try.
– You may fail. You may change direction. You may discover that the opportunity wasn’t right for you.
– But you may also open a door that leads to another door, and another.
Eleven years ago, I couldn’t see the woman I would become.
I’m glad I kept opening the doors anyway.
Sometimes, your next chapter begins with one small word:
Yes.
Name: Hermione Le
Professional Title: Registered Nurse/senior Clinical Facilitator
Bio: Hermione Le is a Senior Clinical Facilitator, Registered Nurse, educator and emerging researcher passionate about nursing education, aged care and empowering others through learning. A national conference speaker and lifelong learner, she champions a “say yes” mindset – embracing opportunities, overcoming self-doubt and inspiring others to grow with courage and purpose.
