My career as a nurse
When applying for my first nursing post, I had absolutely no idea where I wanted to work.
Applying for a trust I had never worked in, with amazing support from my personal tutor, I currently find myself within a surgical ward area in a specialty I never experienced as a student – gynaecology and women’s services. This role has allowed me to settle into newly qualified life and start to support students as they do their training, albeit challenging at times.
I have gained experiences in areas of care I didn’t even know I could be a part of as an adult qualified nurse, supporting and providing care for individuals and couples experiencing complications and loss of pregnancies.
Where I see myself in a few years’ time
Going forward, I would like to gain more experience in a range of locations across medicine and surgery, as well as critical care, with the aim to return to the University as a lecturer.
Within the first 6 months of qualifying, I have had the opportunities to complete my training with the University to be a supervisor and assessor for nursing students.
I have been a Clinical Demonstrator for Clinical Skills sessions, as well as setting up a Twitter account (@NQPUNCs) with others from my cohort to support newly qualified and registered nurses from the Plymouth.
The benefits of studying at Plymouth
Studying BSc (Hons) Nursing (Adult Health) at Plymouth provided me with an amazing range of placements, with the chance to travel across the South West. The staff have been amazingly supportive and continue to do so since graduating, providing career development as well as opportunities to enhance practice further.
Placements throughout my three years were all different and each provided their own quirks and experiences that shape you as a registrant, providing me the chances to become more autonomous and manage the care of my patients effectively.
One particularly memorable and important aspect of my degree was an incredible mentor who was passionate about palliative and end of life care. Whilst on a community placement she said to me “everyone deserves a good death, whatever that is to them” and this sentence has stayed with me each and every time I have had the honour of caring for somebody in their last days of life.
Without studying at Plymouth, I honestly, wouldn’t be the nurse I am right now.
