Danielle Edge: teaching the nurses of the future

"Training to be a children's nurse at Plymouth prepared me for the challenges of nursing on busy wards. I was given the opportunity to care for my own patients from year 1 and then moving to work with junior students to improve my delegation skills. 

With my cousin Elliott starting his first year in my last, we got to do a placement together and I remember my love for teaching beginning. If we had spare time on the wards I would take the students and teach them skills – such as observations, blood sugar monitoring, taking cannulas out.

I had a great group of friends that used to study together. I made some lifelong friends and my best friend, Grace. And of course our lecturers in particular; Janet Kelsey who was clearly so passionate about nursing and I will never forget being so scared when she came on the ward to do a shift! And Neil Bloxham who always made learning interesting on the wards and in lectures.

Plymouth gave me the opportunities to build my confidence as a student children's nurse and then a registered nurse. The lecturers taught and supported us throughout our training to be critical thinkers. I think this allowed me to have the confidence to question and reflect on my practice as a qualified nurse.

I had such a great experience at Plymouth. It's in a great location by the sea, perfect for BBQs. I made amazing friends, was lucky to be trained at Plymouth and work in the partner trusts to gain a wealth of experience across the Peninsula.

Upon graduating from Plymouth in 2009 I moved to London where I worked as a staff nurse on a busy district general hospital for two years. Whilst working on the ward I completed my mentorship qualification. I then set off on my travels and worked as a bank nurse in Australia for a year before coming home to Devon. 

The best experience I had nursing on wards was in Australia at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne. I was made to feel part of the team even though I worked banked shifts on different wards and gained the best clinical experience with support from everyone.

In 2013 I moved back up to London and started working as a charge nurse at a private children's hospital for 18 months. After catching the teaching bug I moved into a practice development nurse role in a large London trust, where I worked for two years also gaining my NMC teacher qualification and PGCert in practice education. I was then given the opportunity to work at London Southbank University; I started in December 2016 and this is where I currently work as a Lecturer in Children's Nursing.

I would never have thought that eight years after qualifying I would be teaching the nurses of the future, but I am and part of that is due to my three years of training."