Karla Higgins

I decided to study Children and Young People’s Nursing at the University of Northampton as its nursing courses ranked highly in the league tables in comparison to other universities in my local area and living at home was a priority for me. Also, the campus appealed to me, and I felt that the University had a lot of services that I’d have access to which could contribute to my success.

My ultimate career goal is to qualify as a Children and Young People’s Nurse and once I’ve gained more experience, I’d love to work at Great Ormond Street Hospital, either on an oncology or cardiac ward. Ever since studying biology and PE at school, I’ve always been interested in the heart, blood vessels, and the blood. I’d love to work in oncology to be able to look after children who are going through cancer treatment, to make a positive difference to their care during a hard period in their life, to support both themselves and their parents.

Immediately after I qualify, I’d like to work at my local hospital but I’m not yet sure in which specific nursing area I’d like to work. I’ve already completed a placement on a general paediatric inpatient ward, which I loved, but I’d like the remainder of my course placements to be on a neonatal ward and A&E.

I feel that studying this course at UON will allow me to develop the characteristics I need to become a nurse – empathy, communication skills, patience, and the ability to be a good listener. These skills will also assist me in my personal development and support networks when I’m building relationships with people throughout my studies. Everything I’ve learnt in lectures, as well as the experience gained on my placements, will be valuable to my future career. As well as good communication, nursing requires professionalism, the knowledge to empower patients, and the ability to constantly learn, which are skills I’m constantly developing throughout the course.

Completing work placements as part of my studies is helping me to develop perseverance, which will be useful if I ever need to deal with difficult and uncomfortable situations during my career. Perseverance is also an important skill when completing essays, assignments, and medication exams, as I’ll be able to pick myself up again if the results are not as expected!

So far, I’ve had three work placements as part of my degree. In year one, my first placement was based at university, developing essential clinical skills, such as manual observations, using Early Warning Score Charts, urinalysis, aseptic non-touch technique, and donning and doffing PPE. The second placement in year one was all about working in a group, selecting an area in and around Northamptonshire, and learning about the health needs of this area and the different services they have and may need in the future. The final placement of my first year was on a general inpatient paediatric ward at Milton Keynes University Hospital. I took observations, including blood sugar readings, and was able to be in theatre to watch different procedures, as well as feed a baby via a nasogastric tube, and a child through a gastrostomy. I was also able to carry out assessments on children and write follow up notes on the system, as well as developing my communication skills with the parents and families of the patients.

My first placement of year two was at a general practice surgery, which I enjoyed. Part of my role was to conduct diabetic foot checks, advising patients what they should be doing to manage their feet in accordance with current guidelines. I also spent time with paramedics at the surgery to learn more about assessing unwell children, administered intramuscular injections, and observed childhood immunisations, alongside many other clinical skills. The skill I developed that I most enjoyed was venepuncture (withdrawing blood from a vein with a needle), which I managed to do over 60 times during the time I was at the surgery. This placement allowed me to develop nursing skills for looking after adult patients too, rather than just children.

At the time of writing, I’m a week into my second placement in year two, which is at a special needs school. I’m really enjoying being able to develop relationships with the children in the class that I’m in and learn about their routines, their abilities, and the targets they have over the course of the academic year. It’s also giving me the opportunity to learn Makaton as another method of communication, which may be useful during other placements, as well as in my future career.

All my placements have enabled me to develop confidence in the clinical skills I’ve learnt at university and put these into practice. During placements, you may see things that upset you or make you feel unsettled, however it’s taught me to manage my emotions when faced with patients and to understand what’s appropriate as a nurse. I’ve also learnt professionalism, trust, responsibility, punctuality, confidentiality, empathy, how to work individually and within a team, and increased my competence and active listening skills.

This increased confidence will also assist me in job interviews when I’ve graduated. It allows me to understand the potential challenges I may face in the areas I’m working, and the methods to avoid/combat these. I also now understand the qualities and skills which will be expected from me as a nurse and how to advocate for patients and their families.

My main tip for getting the most benefit from your placement is to be confident. You’ve made it onto the course, so you’ve earned your place! I’d also say take time to do your own research at the end of each day, or during the week, to read more about what you’ve seen on your placement – this could be different medications, advice, or conditions, which will enhance your knowledge. Also, don’t be scared to ask questions and always carry a notebook with you. It’s so important to write down the things you’ve been learning and will remind you of further research to do in your own time. Make the most of every opportunity and ask to do things. But most importantly, take time for yourself and continue to do the things you enjoy doing in any spare time you have.

Alongside my studies, I’m currently a member of the committee for the UON Nursing Society. We’ve only just re-launched the society, so it’s allowed me to make friends, develop relationships and work as a team with people I’ve not known for long. We’ve had differing opinions on certain topics, but we’ve been able to reason with each other and take different ideas into account, which is reflective of a clinical environment.

The advice I’d give to undergraduates interested in this career path would be that although it isn’t necessary, try to gain some healthcare experience before you start. Even if it’s a short work experience opportunity, it provides an insight into what the course is like and whether it’s right for you.

I’d sum up my UON experience so far by saying it’s challenging, but it’s motivating me to become a great nurse.