Hi, my name is Olushola David and I am studying Mental Health Nursing at the University of Birmingham. I've always known that I wanted to do something based in a caring role. In secondary school one of my teachers actually said to me that I make people smile, so that inspired me to explore the health care sector. Nursing specifically stood out to me because of how involved nurses are in a patient's care. Just watching the positive impact, you can make on someone's life is really rewarding. I decided to go into mental health nursing specifically because I have an adopted brother who has autism. Although autism isn't a mental health diagnosis (it is a learning disability), it stemmed my interest into psychology and psychiatry. Mental health nursing has allowed me to apply my interest and knowledge in those subjects and to also care and support people.
“As a mental health nurse I am able to care for people, talk to their families and really make a difference to their lives.”
I feel that the learning you get from lectures and tutorials helps you when you start to apply your skills and knowledge in placements, but actually seeing it in practice or applying it yourself in a professional setting, really does make a difference. When you are working as a student and you do something correctly and really make a difference to a patient, the feeling you get is amazing. You are thinking ‘wow, I can do this!’. We start placements from first year, so nursing is one of those degrees where you have to be hands-on from the outset. You have to start your placement early and gain that experience, even if it's just observing at the start, it makes sure you are ready and prepared for the future.
I can’t believe how many pathways there are for mental health nurses. From specialising working with mothers and babies, where mothers have PTSD from childbirth, to forensics, where you get to take care of people within the criminal justice system. It is very inspiring when you meet different people on placement and you hear how they have got to where they are, and you realise there are so many pathways and routes to explore. Even now, I'm still learning about different and new job roles that studying mental health nursing can lead to!
My aspiration is to work within research and leadership, so becoming a research nurse, hopefully specialising in mental health. However, I also am looking into becoming an RAF nurse as I used to be part of the RAF cadets when I was in Sixth Form. I still have the passion for it, and I have found out that the university have an affiliated air squadron which I am thinking of applying to this year. A final option that I am considering, is based on my favourite placement experiences working in the deaf ward. I found this really enjoyable and something that not many people know much about, especially the link between deaf culture and mental health so I'm thinking about specialising in deaf culture as well.
“On placement I was very happy to just make a positive impact on someone's life. It was very fulfilling and rewarding. At the end of the day, that is what nursing is about, helping people in any little way you can!”
In my spare time, I mentor different groups of people as part of university initiatives to support those thinking about applying for nursing as well as, mentoring first years who have just started at the University. It can be a hard transition from A-Levels and living at home, to then coming to university so I like to help and support them as much as I can. I have also been the Secretary of the University Nursing Society, NurseSoc for two years. My goals within the society is to increase the diversity and engagement of nursing students in extracurricular activities, whether it's social gatherings or volunteering in the community. I was also part of gospel choir last year which was really fun. We got to go on an external competition in London competing against other universities. Every Wednesday, I also go to German classes. I feel like a big part of joining a society is meeting other students that you wouldn't usually meet as a nurse. You will meet and make friends with loads of people from around campus and not just those based in the Medical School.