I remember I was 11 the first time I said I wanted to be a nurse. I think my parents thought I would grow out of it, I said I wanted to be many things when I was younger (a lawyer, a vet, a doctor… even a barmaid!) but nursing was the one dream that never went away. When I was 15 my dad was diagnosed with cancer; he used to go around telling everyone “my daughter is going to be a nurse” and the thought made him as proud as punch. My dad sadly passed away, but I realised that the experiences of helping to look after him at home and helping the district nurses, that I really did have a passion and drive to become a nurse.
From that point on, I did a lot of research and thinking about what branch of nursing I wanted to do. Did I want to be an adult nurse? A children’s nurse? A mental health nurse? I organised various work experience in each field so I could get a good depth and breadth of each field as that would help me decide which route I wanted to go down. I did work experience on a children’s ward, an adult hospice and in outpatients at my local hospital shadowing doctors, nurses and nurse specialists. From observing healthcare professionals working within these settings and communicating with the patients, families and carers I was able to make a comprehensive decision about the path which was right for me. I also discussed my options with a lot of nurses, family and friends and they all said “you need to do what feels right in your heart, where can you see yourself working in 10 or 20 years? Can you see yourself looking forward to going to work in this area? Where is the most rewarding for you?” and I knew the answer was working with children.
I have a passion for working with children and their families, so I was more drawn to this field. People have always told me I’m good with children as I am very calm, approachable and I have a positive attitude. Even though sometimes, no matter how calm and positive you are, you are the last person the child wants near them! The first time I made a child cry, I was horrified (as you can imagine!) and I felt so guilty for ages thinking “Did I do something wrong?” but as it is a day to day part of my job, you get used to it and develop strategies to deal with this. There’s a lot of parental support and play involved in children’s nursing and you very quickly pick up the fine art of distraction!
I love studying children’s nursing because there is so much scope and opportunity available in all the different areas children’s nurses work in. During my placements I have been to general wards, specialist wards, A&E, intensive care, a hospice, community settings and a special school. This has shown me that as I move through my career I can continue to build on my existing skills in a variety of settings. It has also given me a good basis to decide when I do eventually qualify, where I can see myself working and starting my nursing career.
Whether I’m the first face they see at admission, one of the nurses looking after them during their treatment or the nurse who eventually discharges them home, I want to be the nurse who they think; “that nurse really made a difference and she really went the extra mile”. Sometimes, even the simplest things like offering a drink, an activity to take their mind off things or a listening ear to mum or dad really helps make someone’s day better – it’s not always about the medical stuff!
And it’s not just the practical side of nursing I enjoy; believe it or not, I also enjoy the academic side! Throughout the course, we are taught subjects such as anatomy and physiology, laws and ethics, medicines management and the rationale behind basic care of our patients. We are taught practical skills such as basic observations, wound dressings and essential assessment skills. What we learn in the classroom is then built upon in placement as you use everything you learn daily in the assessment and care of my patients. I also love that there are always things to be learnt in nursing and even nurses who have been qualified for years tell me they never stop learning! When I am on placement and come across a condition, medication or treatment I have not come across before, I always make a point of writing it down in my diary and researching it later. You never know when you might come across it again and you might be the only student/staff member who knows what it is!
Even now coming to the end of my second placement of third year, when a parent or colleague says “you can really tell you’re a children’s nurse” and when I think of my dad being proud as punch saying “my daughter is going to be a nurse”, I am so proud of the career path I have chosen and my confidence is boosted to know I’m going to make a difference to the children and families I care for in years to come!
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