Nursing (adult)

Adult nursing is a rewarding career where you have a real chance to make a difference to people’s lives. As part of your training, you can expect to learn new skills and procedures that help patients. Read the career stories from some adult nurses working in the South East below. To find out more about becoming an adult nurse visit the Health Careers website.

 

Karla Hamlet, Adult Nursing Student

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust

“Modern nursing is dynamic and exciting, with so many developments in digitalisation and care techniques. It’s an incredible holistic profession that is receptive to innovation and progression.”

Karla Hamlet, adult nursing student Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS TrustNursing had always been a profession that interested me due to its service based nature and focus on caring for others in their time of need.

I was in a successful career in events and hospitality management when COVID-19 hit. This took a toll on the events industry and subsequently my work decreased significantly.

With the draw towards nursing still in the back of my mind, it seemed now more than ever the time had come to make the change and become a nurse. To find out if the clinical environment was for me, I began working as a nursing assistant in acute respiratory care.

During the pandemic on an acute respiratory unit I witnessed first hand the highs of healthcare – teams pulling together and going above and beyond, compassion, resilience – and the lows of healthcare – incredibly high numbers of critically ill patients, immense staff shortages, and staff burnout. However, though a traumatic time, my experience as a nursing assistant during the pandemic prepared me like no other for my step into registered nursing. I loved the clinical environment so signed up to university and here I am three years later nearly qualified and proud to be an NHS nurse.

To the future generations of nurses, I would say this, if you feel it in your heart to nurse – then follow your heart and become a nurse. Modern nursing is dynamic and exciting, with so many developments in digitalisation and care techniques. It’s an incredible holistic profession that is receptive to innovation and progression. As a nurse you are a transformational leader too, and through compassion and initiative you have the ability to make what is unwell – well again. That is something unique and very special. Become a nurse and the world is your oyster!

 

Nicola Weir, Adult Nursing Student

University of Portsmouth

“Nursing is incredibly rewarding. In terms of job satisfaction, I can’t compare this job to anything else I have done”
Nicola Weir, Adult Nursing Student University of PortsmouthI love working with people, and it’s a job where you can use your empathy and caring skills to good use. I also find medicine incredibly interesting, which is an added bonus! The most rewarding part of my career and training so far is how much I have developed as a person and, as a result, how my confidence in myself has grown.

It can be an intimidating field to join, especially as a career change applicant, but all life experience is relevant and helpful in healthcare, and you can use this to your advantage.  Nursing is incredibly rewarding. In terms of job satisfaction, I can’t compare this job to anything else I have done.

 

Catherine Mitchell, Adult Nursing Student

Solent University

“It’s never too late to make a change into healthcare.”

I am a mature student and after spending many years moving from job to job working in offices I could never settle in one job.  Looking back now I can see that I was never suited to office work despite working in many different industries. It didn’t make me feel worthwhile or fulfilled.

My mum had cancer at the age of 42 and then again at 69.  Helping her through both operations and endless rounds of chemo seemed like a “normal” thing for me to do.   I wanted to know more about the human body and really make a difference to people’s lives, especially after suffering a bilateral pulmonary embolism 10 years ago.

The most rewarding part of my training so far has been helping patients and their families when going through tough times, and making a difference by talking to them and supporting them.

It’s never too late to make a change into healthcare.  I would tell any prospective student to get some experience in a healthcare setting before embarking on a nursing degree.  You have to be tough, you need to be empathetic and you have to work very, very hard.