Hannah B.
About me
| Hannah B. | |
| Psychology | |
| psychology | |
| Taught Postgraduate | |
| James | |
| 2008 | |
| United Kingdom |
My employment
| Senior Nurse Practitioner | |
| NHS | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Healthcare | |
| Large business (250+ employees) |
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A day in the life of a Senior Nurse Practitioner in the United Kingdom
Like most students, I had various temp jobs in the holidays and it helped me see my strengths and weaknesses and what sort of environment I liked to be in.
Briefly describe the organisation you work for
I work for the NHS, in a mental health trust in London.
What do you do?
I am a mental health nurse currently working in primary care. I work across four busy GP surgeries in East London seeing patients with a wide range of mental health conditions. I am also an independent prescriber and do in-depth consultations with patients to make sure they are 100% happy with their treatment plan and make changes where necessary.
It is a senior nursing role because I care for a large number of patients independently, although I do work closely with the GPs and locality specialist mental health services.
Reflecting upon your past employment and education, what led you to your current career choice?
I studied psychology at university because I was fascinated with how the brain and mind work and at times considered training as a psychologist. However, after doing some shadowing and spending time working as a healthcare assistant, I felt that I was more suited to nursing.
I enrolled on a post-graduate Mental Health Nursing course in London which took two years and since then have worked on inpatient wards, crisis services and community teams. I have also completed my MSc in Advanced Nursing Practice, non-medical prescribing training and various therapeutic courses such as mindfulness, counselling skills and behavioural family intervention work.
Is your current job sector different from what you thought you would enter when you graduated?
For a while I was interested in a career in research and was offered a place on a masters course in Neuroscience. However, ultimately nursing felt like a better fit.
Describe your most memorable day at work
No two days are the same- you would not believe the things we see and hear!
But hearing people say that you have made a huge difference to their life and seeing them come back from the brink of suicide or depths of psychosis is incredible. I feel very privileged.
What extracurricular activities did you undertake at university and what transferable skills did you develop through these?
I took part in various activities such as horse riding and surfing, and volunteered with York Blind and Partially Sighted Society. But the main things I took away from my time at university was the experience of living far from home, making great friends and a passion for lifelong learning. I still enjoy being in an academic environment and every year make sure I am updating my knowledge and skills through courses that appeal to me.
What would you like to do next with your career?
Currently I am enjoying developing my knowledge and skills as an independent prescriber in primary care, but in the future I am interested in becoming involved with quality improvement work.
What top tips do you have for York students preparing for today’s job market and life after graduation?
Like most students, I had various temp jobs in the holidays and it helped me see my strengths and weaknesses and what sort of environment I liked to be in. If you have an interest in healthcare then I would strongly recommend joining an NHS staff bank or agency and trying some shifts as a healthcare assistant. I mentor a lot of student nurses and the ones who have this experience tend to do really well. Also, you will quickly find out if care work is a good fit for you!
What topics from students are you happy to answer questions on?
I am happy to answer anything about nursing, or careers in mental health.
Also, any questions about further training and education as part of your nursing career.
Next steps...
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