I LIKE the idea of unchartered territory. That appeals to me," says Teresa Crossen, unashamedly sounding like an Antarctic explorer. As a unit nursing officer at St Vincent's Hospital in Dublin, she is the youngest member of this six-member management team. "Yes, I'm ambitious. It's possible to be ambitious and a nurse," she says with a knowing smile.

Crossen explains that the public perception of nursing - as a career that is suitable only for men and women who are gentle, soft spoken and submissive - will have to change. "I would like to see a greater understanding of the different roles in the nursing profession, she says. "We're not all there at the bedside, caring for the patients.

Crossen's job in the hospital has taken her away from the traditional day-to-day care of patients. However, her overall objective is the same as her colleagues on the wards - providing quality care.

From a farming background in Longford, she began her nursing career after her Leaving Cert in 1983. "I never had a burning desire to become a nurse," she says. "It was a popular choice at the time. A quarter of my class became nurses."

She does not feel cheated or disappointed by her choice. Nursing has proved a rewarding and a challenging choice.

She graduated in May, 1986, and spent a year as a staff nurse working in cardiac, respiratory medicine and geriatric areas within the hospital. Then she moved to Our Lady's Hospice at Harold's Cross, Dublin, to work in palliative care, which she describes as "a very rewarding experience". At that time, she also took an eight-week course in palliative care.

She says nurses attend such relevant post-graduate courses as part of their ongoing specialisation. "People use the knowledge that they have gained and bring it back to the workplace and share it with others. After coming back you are more open minded."

In 1989 Crossen moved to London with her husband and worked at the National Heart Hospital with people from all over the world. "I still think Irish nurses are the best," she says. "They are much more creative and resourceful."

On return to Dublin later that year, she started work at St Vincent's Hospital in the intensive care unit as a junior sister with responsibility for co-ordinating and developing the management and teaching of the nursing staff in the unit.

"I knew what I wanted to do. I was quite focused. I felt there was more to being a nurse than the public perception. Somebody has to manage." Crossen felt she knew what the problems were and what changes she wanted, but she learned "you can't impose it on people, you have to bring people along

Her job in the unit gave her "a lot of scope, which I loved. It was up to me to decide how much needed to be done. It's great to look back and see it and realise, I achieved that."

Today her approach to any new job is to learn as much as she can through courses and studying.

While working full-time, she is currently studying for a management degree at the Institute of Public Administration. Earlier in her career, she completed a one-year diploma course in teaching methods for nurses at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, and a one-year diploma course in leadership skills at the National College of Industrial Relations.

Since her appointment as a unit nursing officer, she is involved in the administration of the psychiatric, accident and emergency and thoracic and plastic wards. She has to make sure there are enough staff on duty in each area under her care. She must assess and evaluate work-loads and address any particular problems on a day-to-day basis. She has to ensure that the procedures and policies are observed.

In a job like this, "prioritising is the difficulty," she explains. There is a happy gleam in her eye as Mrs Crossen - as her colleagues address her at work - refers to the challenge of her profession. "It's a time of change, we're consolidating as a profession."