Richard Standage
School of Nursing | BNurs and MNurs Admissions Tutor
My journey to nursing started a little later in life than for some. I started my working life as a trainee accountant and then doing auditing for an insurance company before I realised that this was not really what I really saw myself doing long term. My mid-twenties career crisis initially led me to consider a lot of similar careers before I came to the realisation that I wanted to do something completely different, and the ideas of nursing took hold.
I was 29 when I qualified and although my training was mostly adult focussed, my real passion was in children’s nursing. My first qualified post was at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and I went on to convert my qualification to be a children’s nurse a couple of years later. Since qualifying I have worked in paediatric intensive care, medicine, outpatients, as well as over ten years now in nurse education.
“I have enjoyed every aspect of nursing and have never once regretted my choice to switch careers. The buzz of seeing and actively helping poorly children get better and re-join their families is hard to beat.”
If you are in school or college and thinking about nursing as a career then go for it. You will go on an amazing journey and you will learn so much, including about yourself. If you are already in work and think there might be a more fulfilling career out there, you are absolutely right! Nursing can offer you more than any other job: Joy, utter delight, sadness, frustration, even occasional sheer terror – but never boredom.
Find out more