Hawke's Bay clinical engineer told girls don't do electrical engineering

Ashlea Morris, newest member of the clinical engineering team at Hawke's Bay DHB has gained her full registration, stands outside Hawke's Bay Fallen Soldiers' Memorial Hospital. Photo / Supplied

A young female clinical engineering technician is making leaps in the male-led field.

The 24-year-old has just gained her electrical registration at Hawke's Bay Fallen Soldiers' Memorial Hospital.

Originally from Auckland, Ashlea Morris loves problem-solving and all things tech and was even named electrical warden at intermediate.

So engineering was a natural choice.

When Morris sat down to enrol in tertiary studies for electrical engineering, a course advisor suggested she change to civil engineering because: "Girls don't do electrical engineering".

Now Morris is a clinical engineering technician in Hastings and advocating for more people to pursue the career.

She said, looking back, it's fortunate she ignored that advice.

With determination, she completed her diploma in clinical engineering at Auckland's Manukau Institute of Technology.

In 2019, the graduate moved to Hawke's Bay to start full-time work as a trainee at Hawke's Bay Hospital.

Medical equipment testing makes up the bulk of Moriss'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 are no patient risks from use.

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.

Ashlea Morris a clinical engineering technician at Hawke's Bay District Health Board, studying an ECG machine that was sent in to her team to be repaired. Photo / Supplied

"I don't know many other girls my age who love their jobs as much as I do," Morris said.

She explained that not many females become clinical engineers, so naturally, she became an advocate for more women pursuing it.

While completing her placement at Middlemore, Morris realised only two out of the 25 engineers were women.

The importance of clinical engineering came to her attention after attending a Counties Manukau DHB clinical engineering manager's presentation about the need for more graduates.

"Before then, I didn't even know the career existed," Morris said.

During the first year of her diploma, she was the only student to study clinical engineering, with only two behind me and maybe three ahead of her.

Because of a lack of applicants, tertiary courses in clinical engineering are hard to come by now.

Morris said those interested in the career should study electronics and information technology.

"A lot of people in my role started out doing electronics and found their way here," she said.

"Resilience 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.

Clinical engineers work in real-time patient environments, constantly focusing on regular maintenance and attending to repairs quickly.

DHB clinical engineering manager Steyn Van Der Spuy said it's been great to support Morris in achieving her full registration.

He added that the young engineer is an example of one of the many training opportunities the DHB provides to support people to pursue health sector careers.

Like many health sector careers, clinical engineering is an ageing workforce and desperately needs more graduates, the clinical engineering manager said.