Steph
Lloyd

Why NTU?

What inspired you to study your subject?

"I had always been interested in nursing, but life had taken me down a different career path. Having children and being on maternity leave at the start of the pandemic inspired me to start thinking about my career and what I wanted to achieve. I came to the realisation that I wanted to use the life experience and skills I had to help others.

I decided to pursue a career in mental health nursing as I have always been fascinated by human psychology and interested in the link between physical and mental well-being. Mental health nursing is a rewarding career, where I felt I could make a difference to others by advocating for them and supporting them with recovery. I have always been a compassionate and empathetic person and felt that these attributes would help me to thrive as a mental health nurse in a rewarding career that I can be proud of."

Why did you choose your course and NTU?

"I chose to study Mental Health Nursing because it’s challenging, varied, and rewarding. I love how no day is ever the same and there are so many opportunities to work with and advocate for a range of people. There are so many opportunities to learn, develop and specialise within mental health nursing and it is so fulfilling to be part of a person’s journey to improved health and recovery. I wanted to stay within Nottingham due to having a mortgage and family commitments and chose NTU as I had heard good things from friends who had studied different subjects at NTU in the past. I was also excited by the prospect that it was a brand-new course for the University. I feel privileged to be part of the very first graduating cohort of nursing students."

What’s your experience been like of your course so far? Can you pick out any highlights?

"Being part of the very first cohort of nursing students at NTU is something I feel is an honour and something I’m proud of. During the course, as a cohort of nursing students, we’ve had to come through the challenges of the global pandemic to complete our training. Nursing training is challenging balancing theory and practice placements, and the journey to becoming a qualified nurse has at times been an emotional rollercoaster. However, the tutors have been so supportive throughout the course and receptive to feedback from the students. I couldn’t imagine studying this course anywhere else."

Have you been involved in any projects or extra-curricular activities that have supplemented your studies run through NTU?

"I became a course rep for my cohort in year one and continued in this role through the rest of my course. Through this, I was able to liaise between my fellow students and the lecturing team to help provide course feedback to develop and improve the nursing course. The demands of the nursing course and being a busy mum meant I couldn’t get involved in a lot of extra-curricular activities, but I know that there is a host of societies and events for people to get involved in at NTU."

On Placement

Have you completed any work placements on your course?

"The nursing course training is split equitably between practice placements and theory. Over the 3 years of study, I have had 9 different practice placements to develop my clinical and personal skills. I was fortunate to gain a variety of experiences in various mental health settings within and outside the NHS including; an acute hospital ward for women aged 18 to 65, an acute ward for children and young people with eating disorders, a local community mental health team, a nursing care home for people living with Dementia, a locked rehabilitation unit for males and females aged 18 to 65, an alcohol and substance detoxification inpatient unit and in a psychiatric liaison team within an acute general hospital emergency department.

I thoroughly enjoyed my practice placements even more so than the theory blocks. I loved working with people on the acute inpatient wards in Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and adult services and developing strong therapeutic relationships with service users and staff. I always felt part of the team even in shorter 6-week placements and felt privileged to be a small part of an individual’s recovery journey. I thrived working with a variety of professionals, learning about different treatment pathways and therapeutic interventions. I feel that I learned so many new skills through placements such as risk assessments, biopsychosocial assessments, care planning, safeguarding, and therapeutic interventions whilst also enhancing existing skills of communication, teamwork, and leadership.

Through my practice placements I have had opportunities to complete insight visits to learn about services outside of my specialism such as a visit to an operating theatre. Within my specialism, I have also been able to learn more about specific interventions such as mentalisation-based therapy (MBT) and Electroconvulsive therapy through insight visits."

Do you have any memorable moments from your placement?

"I have really thrived within practice and enjoyed getting to know so many different people from a variety of backgrounds and cultures, enriching my training by learning through their differing experiences and perspectives of healthcare. Whilst nurse training is demanding and challenging, it is rewarding and dare I say at times fun. I really enjoyed spending time with people doing therapeutic activities such as gardening, jewellery making, badminton, board games, quizzes, arts and crafts and self-care such as nail painting. Spending time with people, getting to know them, and allowing them space to open up about their difficulties is an absolute privilege. During my placements, I have received cards from service users and staff which have often looked back on to keep going with my nurse training."

Support

What do you think of the support available from tutors and staff at NTU?

"Throughout the course, I have found my personal tutor and lecturing staff to be very supportive, receptive to course feedback and helpful in offering guidance when asked about career development. If the tutors were unable to directly help with a query, they would always guide me to the person or service that could help. The staff are all extremely knowledgeable and lectures have been engaging throughout. Guest lecturers have been really inspiring throughout the course especially when using different mediums such as film and theatre to explore topics such as hearing voices and epilepsy."

Outside of the Lecture Theatre

Did you find it easy to make friends and settle in at NTU?

"I started the course in the middle of the pandemic which came with some challenges, in the first year we had minimal face-to-face contact and when we did have in-person teaching it was in small groups. However, the nursing cohort connected well through this unique shared learning experience and as the restrictions eased there were lots of opportunities within NTU community to help make friends and settle into University life. As a mature student, there were specific groups that I was able to get involved with to help settle at NTU."

The Next Steps

What’s next for you after NTU?

"I’m due to start my first nursing post as an Associate Mental Health Practitioner in CAMHS imminently. As part of this role, I will complete my preceptorship whilst on rotation starting in CAMHS inpatient services and then moving to the CAMHS Crisis. I will be moving to work substantively in a CAMHS community team, where I will be able to progress my skills and career further. My long-term plan is to complete a related master’s qualification in the next few years alongside working in CAMHS, although I’m not sure which one yet."

How is NTU helping you to achieve your career goals?

"The opportunities provided as part of my training, have enabled me to develop the skills I needed to secure a job in the area that I wanted to build my career in, working in children and young people mental health services. The support of the lecturers and the inclusion of practice interviews as part of the course helped with my preparation for my first nursing interview. The course helped me to develop my confidence which enabled me to perform at my best to secure my first nursing role before I had even completed the qualification."

Advice

What top tips would you give anyone thinking about studying your course at NTU?

"If you want to challenge yourself, thrive when supporting others, relish variety in your days, have a passion for mental health and recovery and want a highly rewarding career then I would recommend nursing at NTU.

My top tip for anyone wanting to study mental health nursing at NTU would be to be proactive in your academic and practice learning. Put yourself forward for opportunities and seek out career development through engaging with service users and other professionals.  If you’re unsure of anything never be afraid to ask, the staff at the university and on placement are always happy to help and for you to get involved.

When in practice, my top tip would be to speak with your assessor on each placement to discuss possible insight visits. If you can arrange as many as possible to different areas to gain experience in other services and to learn about different treatments. Make the most of working with a variety of other professionals such as dieticians, social workers, and medical professionals during your placements as it will enhance your knowledge and understanding of services. As a student, you can learn so much from others and will be able to spend more time with service users to learn about their experiences and health needs. Enjoy the time as a student and being supernumerary on placement, it is a privilege.

Most importantly be kind to yourself – it is a demanding course, and there are a lot of hours of theory and practice to complete. Make time for yourself, friends, and family. Continue with hobbies, and make the most of any downtime to enjoy activities you enjoy. It is important to look after your own mental well-being and if you need support speak with your personal tutor or student support services. There is so much support at NTU, which can help with any academic and personal needs."