Abi, who has just finished her final placement and will graduate in January, has already been offered a choice of jobs.
She says: “It has been really tough, particularly in the pandemic, but I am not a quitter, and it is an incredibly supportive learning environment. My kids are so proud of me they keep saying, ‘Mummy is going to be a nurse’ and there was no way I was going to let them down. I have loved learning; I have met so many people and so many different experiences.”
Returning to study was tough but rewarding for Abi, who hasn’t been in education since she left school aged 17, having completed a level two in childcare. After attending the Open Day she completed a year-long access course, which offers an alternative route into Health and Social Care for people who don’t quite meet the entry requirements for a degree programme.
The course has also helped Abi understand her own children better, as it was whilst studying she realised her ten-year-old son, Oliver, probably had autism. She says: “It suddenly made sense. He had always seemed different, and he felt like he was different to other children. He has now been diagnosed and he finds that helpful. I don’t think I would have had the skills or knowledge to help him if I hadn’t done the course.”
She added: “I would recommend to people thinking about nursing to find out more, if you have the passion and drive you should go for it, you will gain so much.”
The University of Hull offers a range of degree courses in nursing including Learning Disabilities Nursing, Adult Nursing and Mental Health Nursing.
BSc (Hons) Learning Disability Nursing
BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing
BSc (Hons) Mental Health Nursing