Tanya Gill - Clinical Nurse Specialist - Inspire Aspire Workshop 19 Mar 19

Tanya Gill – Lead Metabolic Nurse at Evelina Children's Hospital ran a 2 hour workshop with our Health and Social Care students.

Some of the topics discussed/offered were:

• The History of Nursing

Tanya spoke about the differences between the practices of Mary Seacole and Florence Nightingale during the Crimean war. She offered insight into Florence Nightingale's view of nursing as a middle class, respectable profession which was secondary to doctors versus Seacole's almost alternative styled practice of healing through herbs.

Students were then given a brief history of nursing including the formation of the NHS - ‘…from the cradle to the grave’ and key changes in nursing for example:

2002  - When nurses were  first allowed to prescribe drugs.

2004 – When nursing became a degree only profession.

• Nursing in the 21^st Century

Tanya discussed the importance of safeguarding, nurses as teachers and researchers, patient focused care.

• Where you can nurse

Tanya talked about the 1000 of specialisms which are open to nurses across the world from Qatar to Sydney.

• Nursing careers (including the skills and traits of a 'wanna be' nurse)

Such as being caring, professional hardworking, affects change, safeguarding, advocacy

• Nurse training

Tanya offered a synopsis of the route she took into nursing and the various careers which she has had along the way. Tanya then took the group through an exploration of the four routes into nursing: Adult, child, learning disabilities and mental health (but also midwifery and military nursing)

• Case studies:

Tanya offered interesting anecdotes from her training days – ranging from working in a mother and baby mental health ward and observing the impact of illnesses such as  postpartum psychosis to having to the resilience needed when having to make unpopular decisions (which sometimes go against parent views) for the good of the patient.

• Interactive Student Questions

Our students asked a range of questions ranging from washing bums and awkwardness, worst jobs, dealing with vomit to working on Christmas day among others.

• Workshop

Students were also given a great insight to work as nurses to perform drug calculations and make judgements based on real life scenarios.

Work Experience opportunities:

Tanya will work with Inspire Aspire to identify possible work experience opportunities for any interested students.

We are very grateful to Tanya for today's visit and the insight she offered into the varied nursing careers which exist in the NHS.