I chose Nursing because I've always had a passion to care for people from a very young age. I think this was sparked when I was admitted to hospital as a child myself and this was when I was influenced by the great nurses that looked after me. I then researched Nursing whilst at secondary school and found out that the course consisted of 50% theory and 50% practical which really drew my attention as I wanted a hands-on university course and ultimately career. I chose my course by firstly attending a careers fair whilst I was studying in sixth form, and later on visiting open days that gave me a real insight into the course structure and layout. At this point I knew nursing was a tailored-fit for me.
I would suggest following potential universities on social media accounts because you can easily see what sort of social activities are on offer and whether it is appealing to you. Also, there are online courses available on the internet specifically for healthcare professionals that I found interesting to complete and include in my personal statement. I believe it could give you an insight into nursing and the NHS to help you consider whether nursing is really for you.
During fresher's week I had the chance to try out lots of different societies and fitness classes at the sports and fitness centre. I also became an A2B ambassador which provided a space where I can meet other students from other courses.
My favourite aspect of the Nursing programme is being able to apply the knowledge we are learning in lectures directly onto real patients when on placement. This is only my first year but I think my biggest achievement so far has been safeguarding children whilst on school nursing placement. Being that person who is in direct contact with vulnerable children and being the person who they talk to about their fears was a very special achievement I think because they trust you.
My biggest challenge has been trying to balance my sleep, placement, uni work and normal daily living. I found this a real challenge at first, especially when placement started, but I told my friends and they were very supportive. I managed to organise my days and just complete things like assignments one bit at a time. I would advise new students to establish a good routine from the start of the year. By this I mean organise your workload from the beginning and try to maintain this work ethic throughout, otherwise it just piles up.
I hope to become a registered nurse, but also volunteer some of my time to help those who are in crisis in less developed countries. I think this will be a good way to satisfy myself that I have done something to help those who are less privileged than us.
I was an A2B participant and I'm very glad I was because I was better prepared than my other friends who were also applying for university. Firstly, we received help from actual lecturers on how to write a university grade assignment which meant I was able to reference and write essays even before I started university. Also, I got the chance to practice nursing interviews here at the university so I knew how to prepare and improve for the real thing.