Jess - BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing

Jess was wanting a career change that she could be proud of, inspired by the impact healthcare professionals were making during the COVID pandemic she decided she wanted to become a nurse.
Nursing student headshot - Jess
 
Changing Careers
I completed a previous degree at the University of Plymouth 10 years ago in Criminology and Psychology. Once graduating I worked in a solicitors, the firm went into administration and we were all made redundant whilst I was on maternity with my first child. I then got a part time job working for Nationwide building society as a personal banking manager until COVID hit - I was pregnant with my second child and had to work from home for my safety.
I never felt fulfilled in anything I was doing and I always wanted 'more'. I wanted to have a career that I could be proud of and something my children could look up to. When I was younger, I always thought I would end up in the healthcare industry in some form, I was part of St John's ambulance and was obsessed with Casualty on the TV!
Medical staff standing with arms folded in blue scrubs with stethoscope around their neck
Whilst I was on maternity leave with my second child I decided it was time to do something for me, and seeing how much of a difference nurses and healthcare professionals made during the COVID pandemic inspired me to have a complete career change.
 
Nursing student in clinical skills
Facilities
The facilities on offer for nursing students are great – we spend time in the clinical skills wards which are as realistic as you’ll get asides from being in a hospital. We spend lots of time during clinical skills sessions practicing things like cannulation, venepuncture, A-E assessments and catheterisation to name a few. All of this helps prior to going out on placement! We recently got to spend time using the VR headsets where we were dealing with patient scenarios – this was good for experience.
We have half day sessions once a week, where we practice lots of clinical skills and scenarios. This helps to prepare us for things we may come across whilst on placement.

I have been lucky to be supported by my personal tutors as well as lecturers when I have had any issues or have needed to discuss things. My tutor is always at the end of an email and always gets back to me quickly.

 

Placements

I personally love being out on placement. As nice as it is to be in Uni around my peers, placement is as real as it gets before qualifying as a nurse!
I have been lucky to experience a vast range of placements. I have been in a community hospital, an acute hospital, a district nursing team and have spent days with others teams such as practice nurses and intensive care nurses. All of this is good preparation for my career, it is good to be able to see how nursing varies and allows us to see what we like and what we might not. All of the teams I have been on placement with have been hugely supportive and encouraging.
Adult nursing

The course is a real mixture of academic work, exams and being out on placement. We have good exposure to lots of different settings; the community, GP practices, acute and community hospitals, treatment clinics to name a few. All of the work we do is in preparation for us qualifying.

 
Nursing student headshot - Jess

Career opportunities

There are so many more careers in nursing than I realised, when I started the course I thought I would have to end up working in a hospital on a ward but in reality there are so many more options available - I could end up working in a GP Surgery, a school, in the community, a community hospital, as a health visitor, a research nurse, the options are endless once you are qualified.
I have always wanted to work in an acute setting and this hasn't changed from when I started the course. My eyes have definitely been opened as to how many options are available to me, but I enjoy the fast pace environment of an acute setting.
 
I would definitely recommend studying nursing at Plymouth, I have enjoyed my course and feel well prepared for starting my career this year.
The people I have met I will genuinely be friends with for life. We have had so much exposure to different nursing specialities and have just had the best time!
Image of nursing student - Jess
 
nursing students using anatomage table
Realise your potential at Plymouth and make a difference to someone’s life when it matters most
Our degree will prepare you to care for adults with acute/long-term illness, in a multitude of healthcare settings. You will be ready to play a vital role in health promotion and disease prevention as well as nursing adults. Working closely with other healthcare professionals, patients and their families, you will gain the necessary experience, competencies and skills needed to join the 1000s of our graduates working as registered nurses.