NHS Grampian Nurse Phiwa shares with us how she decided to pursue nursing and her experience studying Adult Nursing at RGU after getting in through a college course.
What brought you into nursing?
Growing up, I wanted to be a corporate lawyer. It was when I had my daughter and she ended up in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit that I changed my mind. The care and support my daughter received from the nurses was impeccable and I remember thinking I want to make that kind of difference in the world. With my dad an ophthalmologist and my mother a nurse at the time, it just made sense for me to pursue this path.
Why did you choose to go to RGU after your HNC?
RGU and NESCol had a partnership at the time to entice people into the nursing field. After college, I did not have the desired grades to get into 1st year at university to study nursing. So when I saw that NESCol had the link course, it was the perfect opportunity for me to take the first step towards my future.
Can you tell us more about your course experience at RGU?
I got into 2nd year of Adult Nursing at RGU. The transition from NESCol to RGU was seamless. It didn’t feel like I had not been part of RGU for the first year. The lecturers were very supportive, even during the most challenging time of my life.
The only challenge I had was me not being very good at essay writing. But once I utilised Study Skills, it got better. If I am being open and honest, I had no real challenges that were linked to RGU, they were all personal, and that sometimes made it hard to be a fully engaged student.
I’ve made lifelong friends who I met at college, and who went on to study at RGU with me.
How did your course prepare you for your career?
I am currently a staff nurse at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and working towards my MSc In Advancing Practice. As part of the Adult Nursing course at RGU, we are introduced to the four pillars of practice. That prepared me for my career as those pillars are carried through in the MSc route as well.
Starting off at NESCOL with the HNC course also helped as it prepared me for university.
What would you say to people thinking about getting into nursing?
To all the aspiring nurses, make that application. Believe in yourself, and make sure you surround yourself with supportive people. Nursing is a hard job yet so rewarding. You may fail, but always pick yourself up and try again. You deserve it.
Before applying, think about the time that’ll be spent on placement and make prior arrangements for that. Otherwise, just send in your application!
Phiwayinkhosi Simelane
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My experience studying Adult Nursing at RGU