My journey to nursing is a very personal and special one. I've wanted to become a nurse since the age of 9 shortly after I was diagnosed with a chronic health condition. I saw how the children's nurses looked after my family and me, and over time, I began to recognise attributes in my nurses that I also possessed. This is where my journey began. Nursing is something that I have always been very passionate about.
I have always wanted to be a children's nurse but I still wanted to experience and gain knowledge on the other two types of nursing - adult and mental health. Knowledge of these would still aid me in my training towards becoming a children's nurse, which has been a life-long goal.
“I chose to study at University of Birmingham specifically because I preferred the course structure, especially in the first year where you are able to experience all three types of nursing before applying for your field of practice.”
The placements at Birmingham Women's and Children's Hospital have been the most enjoyable aspect of the course for me. In addition, I have enjoyed the extra-curricular opportunities that university life has enabled me to become a part of. My favourite trip was travelling up to the Lake District with KASE (Knowledge and Skills Exchange) society with other healthcare professionals to experience a weekend of challenges and fun in a scenic and relaxing environment.
The biggest challenge for me during this course has been to maintain my health, so that I can achieve my goal of becoming a children's nurse. I am almost there and I am very excited and the most rewarding aspect of training to become a nurse for me has been witnessing patients return home happier, healthier and most importantly, smiling!
I have become a resilient and strong person as a result of illness, especially in times where being unwell has become an obstacle. This is what motivates me to go above and beyond just passing my exams and assignments. The course is a lot of fun! This is what has surprised me most about this course and the amount of support that the university provides.
My career aspirations for the future include to become a band 6 nurse; to care for children with gastro conditions as this is my area of interest; maybe even become a nurse specialist in this area, and maybe one day complete a Master’s degree in Advanced Clinical Practice to become an Advanced Nurse Practitioner.
The advice that I would give to my first year self would be to work hard but also enjoy life and I would sum up my time at University as fun, exciting and insightful.