Lucy
Ackroyd

Why did you choose to study your course at NTU?

I chose to study my course at NTU as I previously studied my FdSc in Veterinary Nursing here and graduated a year before starting the BSc. I wanted to go back to the same university as I had such a strong connection with it and I had gone through such a difficult course and graduated with the help of the lovely lecturers. The previous course was well structured, and I always felt like I had someone to ask for help.

I wanted a part-time course to be able to have the flexibility of learning alongside my full-time surgical nursing job.

What do you enjoy most about your course?

The BSc is a well-structured course, I can easily juggle a full-time job and life alongside the course. The course is very varied with different areas to please everyone, there were modules on the course which I enjoyed a lot more than I initially thought I would.

How do you find your modules and what have you most enjoyed studying?

I enjoyed most of the modules, especially anaesthesia. I also enjoyed that all the assignments were different with some being presentations and other essays.

What do you think about the facilities available on your course and what do you use the most?

My course is mostly online learning, with several contact days to be able to visit the campus. I make use of the library's online facilities a lot. Having an online library has made assignment writing and researching so much easier.

What do you think about Brackenhurst Campus? What do you get up to in your spare time?

When I lived on campus during my first degree, I loved Brack Bar and the events they would put on, such as the Halloween one. I lived in the library most of the time as it is so peaceful, and the librarians are really helpful.

I was also a member of Southwell Leisure Centre, where I used to go swimming and do classes at least once a day. I would really recommend joining. Southwell is a beautiful village, a lot of the walks from the campus lead you into Southwell. My flatmate and I would go on some lovely adventures in the summer.

What is your top tip for someone considering studying/ living at Brackenhurst Campus?

I would strongly recommend getting a bus pass, you will use it a lot more than you think. You should also make the most of your family visiting - if they bring a car, go and do a big food shop.

Have you been involved in any placements, work experience or volunteering as part of your course? If so, what did you do and what did you achieve?

As part of this course, I have not done any placements or work experience as I work full-time as a surgical referral nurse. However, in my first degree, I completed three placements. The third was a year-long placement in a veterinary practice which was supported by a Santander sandwich bursary.

Why would you recommend your course to someone considering studying it?

I would recommend the BSc course to anyone that is a registered veterinary nurse and is unsure what to do next. It’s a great qualification to have under your belt and it has opened up so many doors for my career.

Being able to work full-time and study this course at the same time has been great as it has not interfered with my job at all. I have a great balance of the two and if anything it has benefitted my job.