Navigating Nursing

In this episode Laura meets with Emma Firth who is a Regional Primary Care Lead in the North of England. Emma speaks about how she decided to do nursing and how she originally worked on a female surgery and gynaecology ward before working at HMP Wakefield prison as a primary care nurse. Emma discusses how studying her non- medical prescribing has been a pivotal learning moment in her career. Laura...

In this episode Laura talks with Kat Cheng who is a Teaching Associate, Fellow of the high education academy, Adult nurse and Health Visitor. Kat discusses the impact working on a Mercy ship had on her desire to study nursing. Kat talks about how a placement during her Adult Nursing degree led to her wanting to pursue a career as a Health Visitor. Kat has gone on to work in academia and is current...

Laura is joined today by Dr Joan Myers, an independent consultant. Dr Joan Myers OBE is a multi- award winning nurse and received an OBE for her services to children and nursing in 2013. She is a Queen's Nurse and was awarded an honorary doctorate by Middlesex University. Dr Joan discusses her passion for helping people at a young age and her journey into nursing. Dr Joan speaks about her training...

In this episode Laura meets with Sarah Evans, a Preceptorship Matron who is responsible for newly qualified nurses and ODPs, midwives and newly registered nursing associates. Sarah has a clinical background in intensive care and was an ECMO nurse specialist for many years. She discusses her career journey and how she has been a "constant student" throughout her career. Sarah gives advice to studen...

Laura is joined by Professor Nancy Fontaine who is a Chief Nurse and Director for Infection Prevention and Control and Executive lead for Quality, Safety, Patient Experience and Engagement, at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. Professor Nancy talks through her decision to study nursing, and her varied career. She discusses her time working as a nurse abroad and how she has managed to mainta...

In this podcast Laura interviews Heather Wilson. Heather discusses the work experience which led to her studying nursing at Edinburgh. She speaks about her interest in public heath, preventative health and policy started at university when she felt acutely aware of the downstream nature of healthcare in the UK. Heather completed a Graduate scheme at Cancer research and how she managed her clinical...

In this episode Laura speak with Sian Chinwuba, a Paediatric Staff Nurse and winner of Student Nursing Time Awards for the Most Inspirational Student Nurse of the Year 2021. Sian discusses her first year as a newly qualified on a rotation programme. She outlines the positives and negatives of a rotation programme. She gives advice for students and newly qualified nurses in how to manage stress and...

Dr Anna Maria Valdez Ph. D., RN, FAEN, FAADN joins Laura Whitehead on the podcast this week. She is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Nursing at Sonoma State University. She discusses her career to date and what led her to apply to a nursing programme. Dr Anna discusses how she managed working full time and studying. Dr Anna had worked in the Emergency Department and Intensive care throug...

Beverley Brathwaite joins Laura for episode 1 of series 4 of Navigating nursing. Beverley discusses her decision to study nursing and the roles she has had as a nurse, tissue viability nurse specialist, lecturer and now as a senior lecturer at the University of Roehampton. Beverley discusses how nursing wasn't a traditional career choice where she grew up and how nursing as a career has led her to...

Welcome to Series 4! Series 4 begins on the 30th January 2023 and is a series on nurse leadership. I interview nurses in a variety of leadership positions about their careers to date, experiences, what they have learnt over their career. They also share advice and their aspirations for the rest of their careers. The podcast is available via the link and is also on iTunes and Spotify, Please follow...

Laura welcomes Kristina Radzeviciute, a Registered Nursing Associate to the podcast. She discusses how after she graduated with a Psychology degree she started working as a Healthcare assistant in a forensic unit whilst volunteering as an Assistant Psychologist. She gives advice for anyone interested in nursing or applying for an apprentiship. Kristian is passionate about mental health and rehabil...

In this episode Laura talks with Abi Okegbile who is a Community Learning Disability Nursing Associate. Abi discusses her career prior to starting as a student Nursing Associate. She outlines the academic challenges of the course and how she overcame her anxieties. Previously Abi was a community support worker for people with profound learning disabilities, however she had never worked in the NHS...

In this episode Laura speaks with Victoria Williams who is a Registered Nursing Associate in High Secure Psychiatric Services. She shares her career in healthcare and why she decided to apply for the Nursing Associate apprentiship. She qualified in 2019 after studying at the University of West London. Victoria shares her experiences being redeployed during the pandemic to a Covid ward and a vaccin...

In this weeks episode Laura interview Jonathan Opoku, a student Nursing Associate. He is currently in his second year and is studying at Middlesex University. He discusses his journey into working in healthcare and his previous role as a Healthcare Support Worker in General Surgery at the Royal Free hospital has helped.. He speaks about how he was inspired by a work colleagues to apply to be a Nur...

In this episode Laura meets with Mushtag Kahin, who is a Nursing Associate working as a Community Engagement Practioner in a Community Mental Health Team. Mushtag shares her varied career in healthcare and how this led her to studying to become a Nursing Associate. She graduated in May 2021 and has also work in a CAMHS (Child and adolescent mental health services) Adolescence Unit. She shares her...

In the first episode of Navigating Nursing I speak with Carly Richardson who is a Nursing Associate in General Practice. She studied at Middlesex University and qualified in December 2020. Prior to working in General Practice Carly also worked as a NA in a Marie Curie Hospice and she discusses the differences in working in these very different clinical areas. She outlines her motivation for becomi...

Series 3 on Navigating Nursing is out on the 13th January 2022. In the Nursing Associate series I interview Nursing Associates and trainee/ student Nursing Associates. The guests are from a variety of fields, clinical backgrounds and roles. They discuss their previous careers, their educational achievements and any challenges they have faced. They give advice for anyone wishing to study to become...

In the season finale Laura meets with Dame Anne Marie Rafferty. President of the RCN and Professor of Health Policy King’s College, London. Laura and Professor Anne Marie discuss her academic studies at different levels & disciplines; a doctorate in the arts and humanities (DPhil Modern History University of Oxford); clinical science (MPhil Surgery, University Nottingham) and BSc social sciences (...

In this episode Laura meets with Dr Parveen Azam Ali who is a Professor at the University of Sheffield and Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS FT. Dr Parveen discusses her career to date and how her training in Pakistan has shaped her career and research interests. She discusses her role as Editor of Nursing Open a Wiley journal and gives advice to anyone wishing to undertake a PhD. Dr...

In this episode Laura meets with Professor Calvin Moorley PhD, Professor Diversity & Social Justice at London South Bank University. He gives an insight to his nursing career and his passion for research. He gives advice for nurses wishing to study at doctorate level and gives tips into improving your writing practices. Professor Calvin is also the Editor of the Journal of Transcultural Nursing an...

In this episode Laura talks with Dinah Ofosu- Asante, Lead Nurse for Healthcare support workers at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. They discuss Dinah's route into nursing having since been a qualified accountant through the access to nursing qualification. They discuss her experience as a mentor and the importance of a positive attitude to learning. Dinah outlines her role as a Lead Nurse f...

In this episode Laura meets with Ethel Changa, Clinical Advisor for the National Covid-19 Vaccination programme. They discuss her previous roles as Chief Nurse for core services and Deputy Director of Safety and standards. Ethel discusses her MSc in Nursing and gives advice for anyone wishing to study at this level. Ethel gives leadership advice and discusses the challenges she has faced as a woma...

In this episode Laura speaks with Nicola Rudkin, the Deputy Associate Director of Nursing for Surgery and Head of Nursing for the Queen Elizabeth Unit Critical Care Pandemic Expansion at the Royal London Hospital. They discuss Nicola's journey into critical care and the challenges she faced starting in ICU the week after the London bombings. She discusses her transition from Senior Sister to Matro...

In this episode Laura meets with Brigitta Fazzini, an Advanced Clinical Practitioner working within the Critical Care Outreach Team (CCOT) at The Royal London hospital. They discuss her academic qualifications, her post graduate diploma in tropical disease medicine, her MSc in Critical Care at Queen Marys University London and the process to becoming a prescriber. Brigitta has recently had an arti...

In this episode Laura speaks with Francis Fernando, Founding director of the Filipino Nurses Association UK, Head of Nursing for Central London Community healthcare NHS Trust, a previous Nurse Consultant and Florence Nightingale Leadership scholar. They discuss his role as a Head of Nursing and his career goals for the future. Francis was recently nominated and was a finalist for an Unsung Hero aw...