Course: FdA Nursing Associate, BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing
Next Steps: Critical Care Nurse at Treliske Hospital
Seventeen years in the making, Toni has finally achieved a lifelong aspiration to become a Registered Nurse, after studying both the FdA Nursing Associate and BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing degrees at the University Centre.
Toni said: “I originally started nursing seventeen years ago, when my son was a baby. I did two years and then had to step back; I ended up working as a Personal Assistant for a man with Down’s Syndrome. I raised my children and then decided I had to get back; I missed the hustle and bustle of the hospital.”
Being able to study locally was important for Toni as a mother. She enrolled on the FdA Nursing Associate course in September 2020.
Toni was able to find work placement opportunities at a hospital local to the University Centre, thanks to its strong links with local employers: “I often hear patients ask how far I had to go and train to work here – And I say it’s only 10 minutes down the road!
“They say, so you’re a home-grown nurse. And I’m like – yes, I am!”
Toni completed a wide range of placements as part of her degree, benefitting from shorter and varied choice of placements in areas such as acute, critical care, mental health and learning disabilities: “We’ve had a good, varied choice of placement. We’ve been everywhere we could’ve wanted to go.”
She praised the support from lecturing staff during her degree: “If you come to the University Centre, you are fully supported. The tutors and Tamzin who runs the course are just phenomenal; they give you all the additional support you need.”
Toni’s advice for others hoping to get into Nursing is: “don’t be scared of the academic side, because yes, it is challenging, but also when you’re doing something that you love, and it’s topics that you want to learn more about, it does make it a little bit easier.”
“I think if you’re interested in Nursing, it shows you care about people. And if you’re worried about the academic side, it all falls into place. If you have that passion for people and you want to care for people, absolutely take that plunge.”
Toni has secured a graduate role working as a Critical Care Nurse at Royal Cornwall Hospital Treliske where she completed her placements, and is now ready to become a nurse in blue:
“It’s like driving – when you learn to drive, you learn how you’re supposed to do it, but the real learning comes when you’re out there on your own!”
