My journey to adult nursing

Many people ask me and my fellow students why we chose nursing. When I have asked other people, I’ve heard many responses including ‘I wasn’t clever enough to get into medicine’; ‘because I had a really good experience with a nurse when they were caring for my family and they inspired me’ - and some people who just don’t know why, they just wanted to.

I feel I chose nursing due to my experiences through life but mainly, however cringe-worthy it may sound, I feel I was born to be a nurse. I just knew I wanted to be nothing but a provider of care and compassion to those in need.

I like to think of myself as a bubbly, outgoing and confident character. When I was younger, I was the child who wanted to be involved with everything my parents did, as I was afraid of missing out, or not meeting new people! I noticed throughout my teenage years that whenever I met someone who was in the medical field themselves, or if there was something wrong with their health, I wanted to know the details and afterwards I would look it up on Wikipedia… most of the time it disgusted me but nevertheless I was fascinated! I found myself sitting down every Saturday to watch Casualty and would be glued to any medical or hospital drama that was on.

My sister, who is three years older than me, was born with what I was always told was a hole in her heart. As I grew up I was fascinated with her medications and hospital appointments. As I turned 15, about to choose my GCSEs, she had to go for open heart surgery to repair an ongoing leak to her pulmonary valve. This was unsuccessful the first time and the next day she returned to theatre for further open heart surgery. She was kept in the intensive care unit for over a week as I went back and forth with my parents to visit her. Throughout that time I saw some amazing care delivered to her and watched her journey to recovery.

Through my A-levels, as I was beginning to apply for university courses, my grandad was diagnosed with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), which is a disease effecting your lung function. Throughout his ongoing treatment I’ve witnessed immense nursing care, from signing him up for respiratory support to little things like teaching him how to use his inhaler correctly.

I knew I was too emotional to be a child nurse and preferred body medicine to mental health. That’s what helped me reach my decision to study adult nursing.

If you ask me now why I continue to adore my degree as I approach its completion, it is because of the wide variety of opportunities there is for me out there. I am STILL not sure where I want to work! Critical care? Community? Primary care? All I do know is that I don’t need to worry as I have the chance to try them all out.

I am so excited to get to work as a staff nurse, making a difference to people’s lives and widening my knowledge. I now hope to further my studies to be a nursing practitioner when I have gained enough experience.