Challenge Accepted: Emma

"I’m Emma. I’m a registered nurse and an Australian Olympic triathlete, doing NNT’s Dare to Wear Challenge. Today is all about showing that, in my scrubs, anything is possible."

Emma is a triathlete, meaning she’s used to swimming, biking, running, and being adaptable on the go. Whether she’s undertaking triathlon training or working a nursing shift, it’s important that she’s comfortable in what she’s wearing.

“What drew me to becoming a triathlete was the challenge of mastering all three sports. I’m someone that naturally loves adventure and challenges, so the lure was three different disciplines and being the best athlete that I can be.”

A triathlon always involves swimming, biking, and running. The Olympics race's distance is a 1.5-kilometre swim, a 40-kilometre cycle, and a 10-kilometre run.
 

“To stay focused and resilient, I try and remember to focus on my processes and the things that I can control within a race and not worry about the end result.”

With a distinct lack of spare time, Emma handles the demands of her schedule by choosing one focus per day. On some days, she chooses to concentrate solely on triathlon training, while some other days are devoted to nursing.

“It’s about being disciplined enough to know where my time and my focus needs to lie on that particular day.”

Emma has had some significant injuries, but every time she’s been able to bounce back and keep going has shaped her as a person, as an athlete, and as a nurse. The resilience, grit, and determination to keep coming back despite setbacks is something she’s exceptionally proud of.

“I think being a nurse has helped me shape my ability to respond and recover from those injuries and come back almost stronger every time.”

For Emma, motivation and inspiration come from the little things every day. She’s learned throughout her journey in sport that it’s not always those big moments of winning races that’s important – it’s the day-to-day.

It might be getting through a tough workout, having a coffee after a cycle, or finishing the day with family around the dinner table. It might even be finding the perfect uniform to allow her to train and work without worry.

“Over the years, nursing alongside triathlon has shown me another side to life. I walk away from a shift realising how lucky I am to do what I do, to be healthy, and to be happy.”

Emma describes sports as being all-encompassing sometimes. However, years spent working in the healthcare system have shown her what true resilience looks like. Spending time with people facing life or death challenges has given her perspective that she wouldn’t have had without her nursing career.

“My goal is to continue to race on the elite circuit, ideally making a second Olympic team. Then after sport, I would love to get back to nursing and continue my passion in emergency care.”

Her favourite thing about nursing? The ability to change and be dynamic. With so many different areas of nursing and healthcare, there’s so much room for change and further study.

“Comfort and durability are two things that are so important to me day-to-day and NNT’s scrubs offer both.”

After putting Emma’s NNT scrubs to the test during triathlon training, Emma was confident that they could stand up to the test on a busy shift. She found them durable and adaptable, which are important factors for her in a uniform.
 

“These scrubs definitely stand up to the Dare to Wear Challenge and I think I might consider wearing them at my next triathlon event, so stay tuned.”

Emma’s verdict? A big, green tick for NNT scrubs.
 

Challenge accepted: we asked six healthcare workers to take their NNT Next-Gen Active scrubs for a spin after hours. High-energy hobbies from boxing to yoga and rock climbing to footy training put our sports-inspired styles through their paces and saw each style emerging with accolades for Best on Ground.

And while we don’t really expect you to wear scrubs to your next workout, it’s great to know that NNT’s industry leading options have the athleticism to keep up the pace. From slim-fit and stretchy jogger style pants with the comfiest waistband around, to slip-on tops made to help you keep your cool, our scrubs are as versatile as they are practical. Just as there’s so much more to you than your job, there’s a lot more to our designs than you might expect.

Shop NNT's Next-Gen Scrubs