8.5 Which field of nursing am I suited to?

What inspired you to want to become a nurse?

I never really thought about nursing until my mother was sick. At the time, I was working in insurance and I can just remember watching the palliative team dealing with my mum and how they treated her with so much respect and kindness. I remember watching that and thinking I would love to be able to do that.

Job satisfaction is knowing that I have been able to help someone to move forward with their care or goals, however small it may be.

Growing up with my grandmother and witnessing how her physical illnesses impacted on her mental health encouraged me to chase a career in mental health nursing. I applied for a post as a nursing assistant on an acute psychiatric ward and from then I have never looked back.

At primary school, I remember helping to settle in a child a few years younger than myself, he had Down’s syndrome and I once overheard his parents telling my teacher that they had never before seen their son spoken to as an equal by a peer. Even at such a young age I remember how poignant this was and I think this is where my passion stems from. I am passionate about advocating for the rights of people with Learning Disabilities and breaking down barriers to accessing care and services.

I knew I wanted to become a Learning Disability Nurse as I enjoyed forming long lasting relationships with my patients, and wanted be a consistent and positive influence on the lives of those I support.

What have you enjoyed about your experience so far?

I have really enjoyed the variety in my placements, this has allowed me to think about patient care with different perspectives.

I absolutely love the practical side of the course. I love being hands on and meeting people and listening to their stories or journeys. I have loved every day of every placement to date.

I have enjoyed many aspects of the nursing program but mostly the flexibility and convenience that comes with distance learning.

Why did you choose to study with The Open University?

Academically I was never really fond of the classroom and liked the idea of having a more flexible study plan.

The Open University was the perfect provider to study with as the learning is flexible and can mostly be done at whichever time suits me, even if that means signing in to read an article at 3am on a quiet night shift.

Studying with the Open University means that you can study from home, and you can fit the study around your life and work.