International Nurses' Day 2021: Masters student Lianne proves that it’s never too late to start learning

On International Nurses Day, Masters student Lianne Illman explains how she took the journey from having no qualifications when leaving school, to working towards a postgraduate degree.  

It’s a bit of a cliché to say that you’re never too old to learn something new, but University of South Wales (USW) Masters student Lianne Illman is proving there’s truth in the saying.  

Although not old in any sense, the 48-year-old married mum of one, from Pontypool, is in the process of studying for her MSc in Community Health Studies, which is something she never would have believed when she left school with no qualifications.  

“I was a bit of a rebel when I was in school, so never really took it seriously and didn’t pass any exams,” she said.   

“After leaving school I did numerous jobs, but when I worked as a care assistant in a nursing home, I loved it. At that time I was very quiet, hadn’t learned to drive, so I wanted to get a little bit more life experience and I knew I was going to go and do my nursing at some time, but didn’t quite know when, so it was a gradual process for a couple of years from when I was 24.”  

After taking a part-time college course to get her English GCSE, Lianne took up a two-year preliminary nursing course in Newport, before eventually signing up for a diploma in nursing in Cardiff in the year 2000.  

It was while taking the diploma that Lianne discovered a condition that she hadn’t realised had been influencing her learning throughout her life.  

“When I was doing the diploma I was diagnosed with dyslexia, which probably explained why I had come up against challenges with learning,” she explained. “But it helped me get everything straight and helped me understand my learning style.  

“I’ve learned to live with it, but do struggle with my English, and do tend to write a couple of copies of assignments. I have to plan ahead and start assignments early because I need that additional time.”  

Having completed her diploma in 2002, Lianne initially worked on the wards. This changed when she became mum to Lili 15 years ago, taking up bank nursing to help fill in around childcare. When she returned to work full time 11 years ago, she started a new role in the community nursing team in Torfaen, operated by Aneurin Bevan University Health Board.   

Having become deputy manager of the district nursing team, Lianne decided that she wanted to develop her expertise further and study for a Masters degree, eventually starting at USW in 2019.  

“In the district team you are more of an autonomous practitioner, you have to think outside the box a lot, do lots of forward planning and forward thinking,” Lianne said.  

 “Because I’ve got experience in community nursing, the Masters has consolidated this. It’s taken me up to the next level and given me a bigger and wider picture and allowed me to gain the academic knowledge that I can now visually see when I’m in my role. It made it all more grounded – put all the pieces together.”  

 Lianne’s study has also positively impacted on her family, particularly her 15-year-old daughter Lili.  

“As a family we’ve all pulled together to enable me to manage my study while also working,” Lianne said.  

“I think it’s very good for my daughter too, because it shows her that learning is lifelong. I’m very fortunate in the fact that she loves school, and she’s a very good worker herself, and she is thrilled that I’m doing my Masters.   

 “It’s brilliant, inspirational for the children, because they can see they can stretch for that, and see they can do it too, whatever you’ve achieved in the past.”  

By her own admission, Lianne lacked confidence before starting the course, but has seen a major change in herself since starting her Masters.   

 “As I’ve gone through the two years, I’ve progressed as a person. When I just started, I was apprehensive, didn't know if I could do it, but I’ve really enjoyed the past year and am glad I took it up,” she said.  

This change in attitude has also been recognised by staff and colleagues at USW, so much so that Lianne won the Inspirational Post Registration Student of the Year at this year’s Excellence Awards, held by USW’s School of Care Sciences.  

The nomination by two of Lianne’s lecturers, Angela Hiscocks and Donna Pace,  said: “At the start of the course Lianne was very unsure of her ability to take part in any type of study and was not confident in herself at all.   

“Throughout the first module Lianne was very engaged and focused, and out of her lack of confidence she found an ability to study at Masters level and become determined to succeed.   

“She has been an inspiration to the District Nursing teaching team for her determination.”