On my nursing background and what inspired me to go into the nursing profession.
I qualified in India in 1998 and straight away started working in critical care. I’ve never worked in any other areas and even during my degree a lot of my clinical placements were in critical care.
In 2003 recruiters came to India and I was selected to come to the UK to work in the critical care unit in Manchester Royal Infirmary – it’s one of the largest critical care units in Europe with 40 beds.
It’s very busy with a lot of research and medical trials taking place so it was a very interesting place to be and it was a very supportive unit. I did a lot of studies and was supported to progress academically and professionally. Eventually I became a band 7 charge nurse and then education and development practitioner where I supported newly qualified nurses (NQNs) in their continuing professional development (CPD).
While in Manchester I started teaching on various university courses and then funding became available for me to do a distance learning master’s degree in Critical Care with Cardiff University, which I completed with distinction. I also did a postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) and decided my ambition was to become a lecturer. There were plenty of lecturing opportunities in England but the main criteria was that you had a PhD. However, when I applied to Cardiff University I was immediately shortlisted and successful at interview. The good teaching opportunities I had while I was in critical care were really advantageous. And now Wales is my home!
My mum is such a great inspiration and a role model to me and my brother, who is also a nurse. She is so caring and compassionate and I think that's the main factor why I want to do nursing. My mum wanted me to go into medicine but I honestly never even thought about going into any other profession.
On why nursing lecturers are so vital.
Nursing has changed dramatically over the last 30 years and practice has changed as lots of evidence has emerged in terms of how we look after patients, for example new drugs and evolving technology and advancements in surgery.
The lecturer and clinical instructor roles are important because they have the evidence-based knowledge and they are responsible to impart that knowledge to the next generation of nurses. It’s also an important role because you’re developing a powerful workforce that will have the right knowledge, understanding and skills, but also the right attitudes to care for patients.
On why numeracy is so important in nursing.
I'm quite fond of mathematics so the numeracy role is an interesting one. It involves teaching fundamental mathematical skills and preparing the students for the drug calculation exams and ensuring they get the right support and learning materials as they have to achieve 100% for a pass. The application of the particular knowledge to real context is so important so I help the students understand that it’s not simply about passing the numeracy exam – it’s about safe and effective care as they go into the critical areas to do their drugs rounds.
Over the past few years, we’ve started involving the university’s School of Mathematics. They’re such a lovely, friendly group and put the students at ease. When I started in this role, the pass rate was 64% on the first attempt. Following the various interventions, the pass rate has improved to 86%. The students really appreciate the strategies we’ve put in place.
On my review into the impact on nurses during the organ donation process.
Organ donation has been one of my favourite subjects since I started working in critical care. As a staff nurse and as a senior charge nurse, I have had a couple of opportunities to look after patients undergoing organ donation processes as well as supporting their families.
In this review, I’m aiming to discover the challenges experienced by ICU nurses during the organ donation process. The project is going well. I’ve done my initial literature search to find out what are the different challenges that ICU nurses experience and what sort of supporting strategies they receive, locally or nationally. It's very interesting.
Looking back on my own experience of when I looked after that group of patients, there was very minimal support for me so I think that’s why I want to explore this subject in more detail. My initial assumption was that because I didn’t receive support, the same must be true for other nurses too and the literature is showing that my assumption is not incorrect; this is true globally, there are several challenges. Unfortunately, the amount of support ICU nurses receive during the donation process is very little and in some other countries, there's nothing.
On the differences between nursing in India and the UK.
In India, the degree programme is four years and it is very in-depth. In your exams or assignments, you’re expected just to ‘reproduce’ the facts that you learned from the textbooks, and the assignments are very descriptive. Whereas, in the UK, we use a range of teaching and assessment methods, and you’re expected to demonstrate critical argument and synthesis in your assignments.
The culture in the UK is so different; very encouraging, very positive. I have received a lot of encouragement to go for promotions. There are good systems in place for CPD and dialogue with management teams is much freer.
There’s also a lot more autonomous working here and great collaboration. If you’re sitting in a meeting with a multidisciplinary team, you can be confident that your voice will be heard. In India, you literally follow the clinical team’s instructions and are expected to follow their ‘orders’.
On encouraging somebody considering a career in nursing.
I would welcome them in with wide open arms. It’s such a rewarding profession. Nursing will change how you perceive certain things in life and alter your perspective of the world.
Don’t be put off by what you see on social media. Get more information: speak to those working in clinical environments or in lecturing teams, go to university open days. We will explain what a lovely profession this is and give you a better idea of why nursing is so important and is such a rewarding profession.
Every profession has its upsides and downsides and nursing is no different, but in nursing you get to have the huge privilege of making a change in someone’s life. Not just physically, but mentally too; that’s the unique power of nursing.
On winning the RCN Wales Nurse of the Year Nurse Education Award 2023.
I was speechless! I wasn’t sure if I’d heard correctly and I was trying to pinch myself, it was such a shock. But I managed to gather myself and walk to the stage. The compère, Jason Mohammad, talked about the numeracy work I did but also the work I did in a vaccination clinic during the peak of the pandemic – I worked as a volunteer. During this time, I also collaborated with other experienced critical care lecturers and ran a critical care course for the local health board. It was so nice to hear the impact of the work I’ve done and to be recognised for it. It was such an honour. It means a lot.
Nominations are now open for the RCN Wales Nurse of the Year Awards 2024!
