I’m Lou – a bubbly, relentlessly energetic Yorkshire lass in my 3rd and Final Year of the BSc (Hons) Child Nursing degree.
The last two years have been an absolute whirlwind of adventures but I’m going to do my best to talk you through my Nursing journey from Pre-Application to here – right now, sitting on my laptop, Floor 6 of the library looking out over Central London with my coffee and banana! Scroll or read to the end for my personal top five interview/application tips!
It’s Friday – 12th of August 2016. Lunchtime. I’m juggling the post lunch dishes, cups, and cutlery from 24 preschool children – attempting to assist the chef – she’s alone today so I stayed to help load the dishwasher. I’d been in the Preschool for 6 months – taking the occasional blocks out to train with the Royal Navy Reserve and manage Summer Youth Programmes. Balancing work, volunteering and adventurous activities and often pushing 7-day weeks had become a norm for me – this week was no different…
I finished my A Levels in 2008 achieving AAB in Biology, Chemistry and Drama & Theatre Studies. I undertook an Apprenticeship in Outdoor Education, tried my hand at two years of a BSc in Chemistry and hopped from one seasonal job slot to the next: stilt walking the ports of Mexico dressed as a clown, swinging through the trees of the French of Alps in my climbing harness and even firing Barbie from cannons in the name of the fire triangle to teach school groups at the Science Museum in South Kensington. I worked with children and young people 0-19, achieved management positions and even won awards – but I never really found job satisfaction.
So here I am loading a dishwasher when one of the nicest and most polite colleagues I have ever worked with in my time spoke out: “You’re wasting your life!”
I was stunned – I listened in awe as she told me about her ICU (Intensive Care Unit) Nurse Training at Great Ormond Street – the course, the placements, the opportunities…opportunities that I had just the right qualifications, skill mix and personality to chase in her opinion. So why was she instead watching me dancing to Take That loading the dishwasher?
I went home for the weekend and began avidly researching – Nursing degree programmes, Nursing careers, opportunities for career progression in Nursing, where you can work as a Nurse…
As a child I wanted to be an Ice Skater, a fireman, to play in a Military Band, to teach, to be a Dentist – I’d never considered Nursing. Nursing in my mind was trotting about with a camping lantern taking 20 versions of my grumpy old grandad their morning brew. Nursing was not leading teams, researching, teaching, developing skills and knowledge throughout a career, working solely with children, young people and their families…in effect everything that I was seeking in a career!
Results day was in a matter of days, the University web pages were awash with Clearing vacancies – why wait? I had written up and submitted the UCAS statement by Wednesday, had a phone interview Thursday, and on Friday – just one week after my colleague took it upon herself to tell me I was wasting my precious time on this planet, I arrived in London for my interview at City.
It was one day later – Saturday, on a train out of Waterloo my e-mail pinged – one little ping changing the course of my life forever.
From that first booklet refreshing my A Level Biology to giving my first injection on a plastic bottom – I spent the first 9 months of my degree building my knowledge and skills in the safety of the University lecture theatres, seminar rooms and state of the art Simulation Ward facilities – thankful of the opportunity and keen to absorb everything!
I spent 12 weeks in Clinical Practice – the first half in the homes, children’s centres and community clinics of Tower Hamlets exploring the role of the Health Visitor. Not so dissimilar to my role in the preschool I felt at home and took great interest in the unforeseen autonomy of community practitioners.
My final six weeks of first year I spent on a children’s respiratory ward – my first ever clinical experience, I’d never been on a hospital ward before in my life. Everything was new and exciting, and I spent every Tube journey pouring through every book on asthma, cystic fibrosis and respiratory medicine I could get my hands on.
Second year appeared from nowhere and within just six weeks of teaching I was back out on placement, in at the deep end with five weeks of winter in Accident & Emergency. I remember my first shift seeing a child hunched on the bed of the Resus bay in the famed “tripod position” we had been taught about – pale, fighting for every breath. I remember my mentor telling me to put on gloves, and quietly suggesting this didn’t look good – at that moment I was terrified and had no idea how on Earth I had ended up here so quickly. Within a couple of weeks, I was fitting slings, triaging patients, assisting in resus and thriving from the variety and pace of every shift. My confidence ballooned! I went on to a Special Needs School – working in Early Years with children with physical and sensory disabilities. I learnt Makaton, read books, sang songs and treasured every single moment.
I spent time in University developing my Anatomy & Physiology, exploring Critical Care through my Elective module and learning about both Acute and Long-Term Care.
I went on to further placements in a Private Outpatients supporting Consultants – specialists in their respective fields across London and out on a busy surgical ward – focused mostly on trauma/orthopaedics. I’d gone from so afraid I could barely find it in myself to put on my gloves to managing three/four patients with minimal supervision and really beginning to feel like a Nurse.
I saw out the year on my Elective Placement in the Peak District where I worked on multi-speciality Paediatric Theatres whilst enjoying my best outdoor life on the side! I saw my first surgery, confidently recovered and returned my own patients and even got the chance to escape over obstetric side to see my first caesarean deliveries!
Third year kicked off with a placement on a Gastroenterology Ward and most recently, four weeks on Neonatal Intensive Care.
I’ve cared from babies from their very first breath in theatres, to a seventeen-year-old whose own stunts resulted in two broken legs and a lot of surgery. From the homes to the hospitals, from the richest private patients to families barely getting by, from the critically ill intubated child to the pre-schooler you’re chasing on the ward scooter…every day is astoundingly different.
All this coming from the girl who runs up the hunger of a table of friends in Pizza Express for 20 minutes only to order the same pizza she ordered on the last five visits – suddenly able to make a huge life decision that will change her forever in a matter of days!
But City made it so easy! That first friendly chat with the Law student on the Clearing phone line near singing about her love for the University. The naturally entertaining lecturer at interview who was so very down to Earth and passionate about his career. The Student Ambassador on interview day who keenly answered all my questions and spoke with such energy about the course. I felt so at home here, and that was at a rather daunting, life-changing interview. So naturally over the last two years I’ve practically become a part of the furniture! Always looking for new and exciting activities to be involved with – including this blog!
I have an exciting year ahead – with dissertation, a leadership module, clinical skills and of course that all important final 13-week management placement and I’m inviting you on my journey, all the way to NMC (Nursing & Midwifery Council) registration.
Maybe you’re reading this because you too want to become a Registered Children’s Nurse?
Thinking back to my first steps I’ve compiled my top five tips to help you get started with the application process and that all important Personal Statement!
1) WHY do you want to be a Children’s Nurse? You can eat the 6 C’s for dinner and recite the NMC Code by heart but it makes no difference if your hearts not in it! Take the time to map out everything that inspires you about Children’s Nursing and don’t be afraid to stray into your undying love for research if that’s what drives you. Nursing is an ever diversifying profession and it takes all sorts. What appeals to one could be another Nurse’s worst nightmare. Be honest about your drive – because you will speak more passionately about it.
2) A “Child” is anyone under the age of 18. This course is not all about cute babies and Peppa Pig appreciation! Our patients range from the tiniest premature babies to the largest 6ft 3 teenager and we spend a great proportion of our time working not only with the patients themselves but their families! I feel Child Branch are therefore pushed to be the greatest of communicators. At Application and Interview stage, it’s no secret – they are looking for prospective students who appreciate the diversity of the branch!
3) Sell your skills. Nowadays, it is phenomenally hard to arrange clinical experience prior to your application – and Universities increasingly understand this. Whilst you may not require specific clinical experience to undertake the course – experience certainly helps. Where your experiences are not clinical they can still be valued! Use your Personal Statement to sell your transferable skills that might be useful to Nursing. Have you for example worked in a team? Negotiated with an unhappy stranger? Taken the lead in a challenging situation? It’s all about selling these examples and showing you understand how these are applicable to Nursing.
4) Don’t spend your life savings (or your summer holiday) on textbooks! It’s all very tempting when you are very excited about commencing the course to spend £100 and four weeks of your summer holiday pouring through five variations of “Children’s Nursing” the textbook. Stop! Nursing is quite an intense and full time course – take the summer to unwind, relax and be ready to throw all your energy at the course in September. Not only that – City Library is exceptional! I have purchased just one book so far on my degree programme as our essential and recommended texts are all readily available to borrow from our library and even better – many are available as e-books to explore from the comfort of your own bed without even visiting the campus. Added to this we often benefit from lecturer distributed discount codes and student prices where we do choose to purchase our own copies. So save your money and enjoy your summer break!
5) Interview secret – it’s not all in the answer! Nursing interviews are lengthy and most often group based for a reason. You can give the most textbook perfect answers but it won’t necessarily mark you out as the best candidate. They’re also looking at your group interaction – how you work with others in the interview and even how much you engage and show interest throughout the day. If you are unsuccessful at a University interview – always seek feedback where possible as this can help inform and support your performance at any further interviews.
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