Our
Story
Nursing is a rewarding and challenging career and at the Wesley Institute of Nursing Education, we pride ourselves on providing a supportive environment led by highly qualified and experienced clinical nurse educators. We offer the best opportunity for Internationally and New Zealand qualified nurses to obtain registration through Nursing Council of New Zealand.
At Wesley Institute, we are committed to the success of nurses who enter our programme through real-world experience that combines nursing theory and clinical practice. Our clinical nurse educators are industry professionals with a variety of clinical experience. You will be working in facilities with registered nurse preceptors who will support you along your way to become a New Zealand registered nurse.
We hope that you will choose the Wesley Institute of Nursing Education which is a place where growth, integrity, excellence, and compassion is valued in everything we do.
The Wesley Team
Shirley Ross
Shirley leads Oceania’s commitment to excellence in care as the Director of Clinical and Care Services. She joined Oceania in November 2020, bringing over 35 years of nursing experience ranging from specialist surgical and ICU experience in South Africa and the UK to taking up the leadership position of Head of Division for Medicine and Health of Older People at Waitemata District Health Board for several years. Shirley is a member of the International Learning Collaborative and is passionate about excellence in care achieved through clinical teams developing that bond of trust, care and respect with their residents and whānau. She has a keen interest in Gerontology and Palliative Care and is passionate about giving nurses the opportunity to grow and develop and work to the top of their scope. We only have one chance to make that end-of-life journey meaningful for residents and their whānau and we must get it right.
Ayla Blaxall
Ayla is a New Zealand trained nurse with a Master of Nursing from Massey University. Her nursing background stems from acute trauma, surgical nursing, and education. She is particularly passionate about advancing the vibrant and diverse nursing workforce in New Zealand. Ayla has taught both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, and her research interests include quality of care and patient experiences for older adults in the acute care setting. In her spare time, she enjoys sailing, going to the gym, photography, and travelling.
Alison Cane
Alison Cane is a New Zealand trained nurse with several postgraduate qualifications in nursing, including advanced nursing. Alison has had a varied and interesting career in Canterbury while raising two children with her husband David. Alison continues her postgraduate pathway as she decides on a Master of Nursing. Alison loves to teach, whether she’s educating patients, colleagues or student nurses and she is dedicated in her role as a full-time CNE at Wesley Institute where she encourages and inspires overseas nurses in their journey to becoming NZRNs.
Emi Giddens
Emi Giddens is a Canadian trained NZRN who holds a Master of Nursing from the University of Toronto. As an educator for over six years, she developed her passion for instructional design, simulation, and game-based learning. She was the Programme Manager in the Planning, Funding & Outcomes department at Waitemata DHB. Her clinical experience includes long-term care, community, and medical-surgical practice. Her research interests include hybrid simulation methodology, equity, and diversity. At Oceania she supports the training and professional development of healthcare staff, the research endeavours of the Centre of Excellence of Person-Centred Aged Care, and the CAP course for IQNs through the Wesley Institute. In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors with her dog Georgie.
Harpreet Sharma
Harpreet Sharma completed her BSc nursing in 2009 from Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, India. Before moving to New Zealand in 2012, she worked as a CCU nurse and Clinical Instructor. As an NZRN, she worked as a nurse and Clinical Manager in Aged Residential care settings. Following her passion for clinical education, she spent over seven years educating and coaching healthcare staff, which shaped her practice as a CNE at Wesley Institute to promote a positive learning environment and support CAP nurses to achieve their goal of becoming an NZRN. She is passionate about continuous quality improvement in healthcare service delivery through clinical education. In her spare time, she enjoys yoga and spending time with family.
Minna Vuorinen
Minna Vuorinen was born in Finland and lived and worked in the UK for a few years before settling in New Zealand in 1999. She has over 25 years of nursing experience in a variety of settings such as medical, surgical, occupational health, and aged care. She was a Clinical Manager at Oceania Healthcare for seven years before moving into the role of Clinical Nurse Educator. She is passionate about improving quality in aged care. Minna also holds a Diploma in design and a master’s degree in health.
Virpal Mann
Virpal Mann came to New Zealand in 2011 from India, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Nursing in 2012. She has worked in aged care for the last 12 years across various roles from healthcare assistant to Registered Nurse, unit coordinator and then clinical service manager. Virpal is an enthusiastic and passionate educator. She is cheerful, disciplined, organised, energetic and compassionate and her goal is to achieve excellence in aged care by using evidence-based practice. Virpal is excited to be part of the Wesley Institute of Nursing Education team as a Clinical Nurse Educator. Her hobbies include walking, travelling, mindfulness, reading and organizing things.
Susana Mogol
Susana has over 28 years of nursing experience in New Zealand. Her roles spans across various healthcare settings, including recently being a Charge Nurse Manager at Middlemore Hospital. Susana’s experience also includes medical-surgical nursing, honing her skills in leading nurse lead PICC line insertion as an extended scope of practice from Nursing Council. She holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Nursing from University of Auckland and a Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Adult Teaching from the University of Canterbury.
Jennifer van-der-Westhuizen
Jennifer originally trained in South Africa, completing a diploma in General Nursing, Diploma in Midwifery and a diploma in Community Nursing Science. She immigrated to New Zealand in 1998, to pursue a new way of life, and continued her passion in the nursing field. She has subsequently completed a post graduate diploma in Advanced Nursing from the University of Auckland, and a Post Graduate Certificate in Clinical Adult Education from the University of Canterbury. Jennifer has over 40 years of clinical experience. She has worked extensively in Surgical, Medical and Radiology Intervention Nursing and has also worked as the Gynaecology Nurse Coordinator for Cancer Services. Her passion for nursing education lead to her final five year plan as a nurse educator here at Wesley Institute, Oceania Healthcare.
Shahin Hussain
Shahin Hussain obtained her nursing education from Fiji in 2013. She relocated to New Zealand in 2014, working as a Healthcare Assistant for a short period before completing her CAP training. Shahin has worked in aged care setting as an RN in various roles. Currently, Shahin is pursuing her Master's at Massey University. Her unwavering enthusiasm for both learning and teaching drives her aspiration to impart her expertise and skills towards the development of CAP nurses into outstanding NZRNs. In her leisure time, she cherishes quality time with her two active sons. Shahin also has a passion for cooking, baking, and DIY projects.
Pam Williams
Pam Williams is a RN with almost 20 years of clinical experience. Her specialties include cardiac, anaesthetics, emergency, medicine management, and clinical coaching. She has a PGDip in Nursing from Massey University. Pam discovered her passion for teaching and mentoring whilst working in the nursing professional development unit at Counties Manukau. She joined the Nurse Entry to Practice team guiding and coaching newly graduated nurses. Pam engages her students by creating a positive learning environment and is dedicated to helping them succeed. In her free time, she enjoys singing, music, traveling, 4-wheel driving, and spending quality time with her family.
Lisa Rogers-Owen
Lisa is a UK-trained mental health nurse who has always worked with older adults, specialising in person-centred dementia approaches early in her career. She holds an MSc in Applied Behavioural Sciences. Lisa has extensive experience working in the public sector and has also held roles as a lecturer, student nurse educator, interRAI assessor, mental health educator, clinical nurse specialist in complex dementia, and more recently as a dementia specialist for an aged care provider. She has always had a strong passion for education and training and enjoys supporting learners.
Wendy Exeter
Wendy has over 25 years of nursing experience in various roles including surgical, cardiothoracic intensive care, occupational health, palliative care, and community health. Wendy holds a Postgraduate Diploma in nursing and a Master of Health Science. She is passionate about community nursing, education and the delivery of safe and effective care that is patient-centred, focusing on improving the quality of life for patients using evidenced-based practice.
Anu Baby
Anu Baby came to NZ in 2015, after completing a Bachelor of Nursing in 2008 and a Master's in 2012 from Rajiv Gandhi University, India. Anu worked as an RN & clinical instructor prior to migrating to New Zealand. Anu has completed a graduate certificate in pathophysiology of aging. She has 7 years of experience in aged care, with a passion for palliative care, wound care and mentoring/teaching. She possesses strong leadership skills and is currently working towards her Nurse Practitioner pathway while continuing to work as an RN at an Oceania facility. Anu strongly believes in nurses using critical thinking and evidence-based practice along with ongoing education to improve the quality of healthcare delivery in NZ. Outside of work, Anu enjoys spending quality time with her son and enjoying the NZ nature, long drives, beaches and music.
Maria Balmores
Maria is a registered nurse with 25 years of experience, holding a Bachelor’s in Nursing, a Master’s in Education, and a Post Graduate Certificate in Health Sciences. She has served as a Medical-Surgical Nurse, Medical Terminology Instructor, Clinical Tutor for nursing students, and primarily as a renal nurse for 18 years at Fresenius Medical Centre and Northshore Hospital. In 2007, she founded the Philippine Tourette Syndrome Association, the first non-profit for Tourette Syndrome in her home country and developed a validated Tourette Syndrome Symptom Assessment Scale in collaboration with experts from Stanford University and Louisiana State University. Maria is a passionate educator with a person-centred approach. She enjoys sewing, caring for her indoor plants, and spending time with family.
Judith Dizon
Judith is passionate about clinical education and its transformative impact on healthcare. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing in the Philippines, which laid the foundation for her extensive 30-year nursing career. Judith has worked across various specialties, including aged care, palliative care, and dementia care. This diverse experience has honed her mentoring skills and enabled her to enhance patient care outcomes while fostering a supportive environment for professional growth. She believes that investing in education and professional development is essential for maintaining high standards of care, benefiting both staff and patients alike.
Aimee Anderson
Aimee Anderson graduated with a Bachelor of Nursing from Murdoch University in Perth, Australia, in 2010. With 14 years of experience in the aged care sector, she has served as a Registered Nurse in residential settings and as a District Nurse/Mental Health Nurse in the community. Most recently, Aimee held the position of Clinical Nurse Manager within the age care sector, where she honed her leadership and management skills. Now, furled by her extensive knowledge and a deep passion for clinical education, Aimee is dedicated to supporting the nurses who are completing the competence assessment program at Oceania, Wesley Institute of Nursing Education.
Sandy Datt
A highly skilled New Zealand registered nurse originally from Fiji, Sandy holds a Master of Nursing from the Eastern Institute of Technology. With nearly 20 years of experience across healthcare settings in New Zealand and Australia, her career spans older adult health, residential aged care, and public healthcare (Te Whatu Ora), alongside roles in surgical nursing, practice nursing, and aged care management. Sandy is passionate about fostering a skilled, culturally diverse workforce, particularly through mentoring internationally qualified nurses (IQNs). As a Clinical Nurse Educator, she guides CAP nurses in aged care, focusing on enhancing care quality and patient experiences for older adults. Currently specialising in education through an adult teaching program at Polytech NZ, she works to refine her methods in supporting future nurses. Outside of her professional work, Sandy values lifelong learning and encourages others to expand their skills. She practices meditation, nature walks, and pranic yoga, cultivating a balanced and compassionate approach in both her personal and professional life.
Zyra Marana
Zyra Marana graduated as a nurse in the Philippines and has worked in aged care for 13 years. Zyra calls New Zealand home now and has been an NZRN for 10 years, and she is most passionate about geriatric nursing. Zyra brings vast experience from working in many roles across the aged care sector, including Unit Coordinator and Clinical Manager. She holds special interests in palliative care, wound management, and infection control. Zyra is a passionate educator and enjoys being a part of the future of New Zealand Nursing. She is currently studying towards her certificate in adult and tertiary teaching.
Nicole Wee
Nicole Wee has lived and worked in Singapore, Fiji and Australia before finally settling in beautiful New Zealand. She has experience in business finance, administration, and education. She previously worked at Sky City, Nike, and the School of Nursing at Massey University, where her passion for all things nursing began. Nicole is the Operations Manager at Wesley Institute, responsible for student advice including pastoral care, finance, and marketing. In her spare time, Nicole enjoys creative jewellery, arts and is an accomplished florist.
Viivi Rissanen
Viivi Rissanen moved to New Zealand from the UK in 2022. She has a background in administration, having previously worked for higher education institutions as well as government. She is passionate about helping overseas nurses achieve their goal of working as NZRNs and contribute to better health outcomes across NZ. Viivi also has a Master’s in political communication, and in her spare time she enjoys tramping, kayaking, and making the most of Aotearoa’s beautiful outdoors and scenery.
Isabel Ugarte
Isabel Ugarte is originally from Chile and moved with her family to New Zealand in 2016. She has a background in finance and administration. Isabel looks after student enrolments and supports with other administrative tasks that are necessary to make sure students have a smooth journey through their CAP course. Isabel enjoys her role and is here to help support nurses on their journey to become a New Zealand Registered Nurse.
Sarah Ellis
Sarah Ellis is originally from the UK and been in New Zealand for many years, bringing up her five children here. She is a Registered Diversional Therapist, working with the elderly which she thoroughly enjoys. She is a Careerforce assessor, which has led her to the Clinical Education Team where she enjoys teaching. Sarah enjoys seeing CAP nurses undertake the journey to reach their goal of becoming New Zealand Registered Nurses.
Joydee Elizondo
Joydee has lived with her family in New Zealand for 14 years now. She previously worked as an administrator for a Christian humanitarian organisation, government, and in the private sector. Now, as part of the Wesley Institute team, she aims to support nurses in achieving their goal to work in NZ and to succeed in providing quality healthcare to the people of Aotearoa.
David Ku
David Ku graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Auckland in 2015. He has over nine years of experience in Learning and Development across the healthcare, retail, and education sectors. With a strong foundation in IT and a passion for leveraging technology to enhance learning, he strives to make education both engaging and accessible. David develops online learning modules and manages the Wesley Institute’s learning management system, STREAM, ensuring seamless delivery of digital education.
MISSION
We are a dedicated team of clinical educators, offering nurses a pathway to New Zealand registration in a supportive environment that involves contemporary theoretical and clinical preparation. Throughout the programme, the nurse is empowered to grow as an individual and a professional while demonstrating highly sought-after core nursing values.
VISION
Our vision is to be the preferred provider of a Competency Assessment Programme by producing highly skilled nurses for the New Zealand health workforce.
