How did you get your job as a staff nurse?
During the final weeks of university, I applied through the NHS Scotland website for the position of children's nurse in the emergency department of Edinburgh's Royal Hospital for Children & Young People.
At the time, due to COVID-19, I completed a telephone interview and was subsequently offered the job.
How relevant is your degree to your nursing job?
I completed a Bachelors degree in child health nursing at Edinburgh Napier University. Without my degree I could not do my job. The degree offers hands-on experience and relevant hospital and community-based placements. This allowed me to learn on the job what is needed to become a competent nurse.
What are your main work activities at the hospital?
I work 12.5-hour shifts and a typical day can involve triaging patients to assess how quickly they require to be seen by a care provider.
Other tasks include administering medication, putting in cannulas, taking blood samples and completing other investigations such as ECG monitoring and routine observations. I also deal with a lot of minor injuries so a typical day could involve putting on casts, Steri Strips and dressing wounds.