Hawke's Bay DHB Clinical Engineering Technician proves course advisor wrong
A newly registered Clinical Engineering Technician is proving the course tutor who once told her "Girls don't do electrical engineering" wrong, and is advocating for more women to pursue the career.
Ashlea Morris recently gained her electrical registration at Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital.
The Clinical Engineering Technician, who is originally from Manurewa, Auckland, says engineering was a natural choice as she loves problem-solving, all things tech, and was named Electrical Warden at intermediate.
But when she sat down to enrol in tertiary studies for electrical engineering, a course advisor suggested civil engineering because: “Girls don’t do electrical engineering”.
Looking back, the 24-year-old says it’s fortunate she ignored that advice. After completing her Diploma in Clinical Engineering at Auckland’s Manukau Institute of Technology, Morris moved to Hawke’s Bay in 2019 to start full-time work as a trainee at Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital.
“I don’t know many other girls my age who love their jobs as much as I do,” Morris says.
“Not many females become clinical engineers, so naturally I’m an advocate for more to pursue it."
“I did my placement for my studies at Middlemore, and only two out of about 25 engineers were women. With assistance from Hawke’s Bay District Health Board, I’ve since gone on to complete all the Electrical Workers Registration Board requirements to gain my full registration.”
Medical equipment testing makes up the bulk of Morris’s role at Hawke’s Bay DHB. Legally, the hospital’s medical equipment has to be tested annually to ensure it’s safe and there is no risk to patients from use. Each month, a group of departments will be due for these checks.
The new technician's job also involves diagnosing and repairing equipment issues and assisting with the procurement of new equipment. A typical day can be spent on the wards, at her desk, or visiting patients.
Morris was always interested in engineering but she only decided to pursue clinical engineering after attending a Counties Manukau DHB clinical engineering manager’s presentation during her first semester, about the need for more graduates.
“Before then, I didn’t even know the career existed.”
During the first year of her diploma, she says she saw just how right that presenter was.
“I was the only student in my semester to study clinical engineering - there were only two behind me and maybe three ahead of me.”
Because of this lack of applicants, tertiary courses in clinical engineering are hard to come by now, but Morris’s advice to those interested is to study electronics and information technology.
“A lot of people in my role started out doing electronics and found their way here.”
Resilience, she says, is crucial for the role.
“Hospital equipment can run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars which means when a significant piece of equipment is broken, often there are no spares.
“We work in a real-time patient environment so we are constantly focusing on regular maintenance and attending to repairs as quickly as possible.
DHB Clinical Engineering Manager Steyn Van Der Spuy says it’s been great to support Morris in achieving her full registration.
Morris’s example is one of the many training opportunities the DHB provides to support people to pursue health sector careers, he adds.
“Like many health sector careers, clinical engineering is an ageing workforce and we desperately need more graduates. Health has so many career pathways to offer, regardless of a person’s skills, background and speciality. Each role has an important part to play in delivering better health outcomes for Hawke’s Bay.”
