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Learning the clinical competencies required for the OSCEs pushed me into unfamiliar territory, but the clinical simulation suite made that process so much easier.
A campus that felt like home
Having already completed my independent prescribing at USW, the decision to stay and finish my full Masters felt natural. I had enjoyed the campus, the lecturers, and the environment, so continuing there made complete sense for the direction I wanted my career to go in. I knew that achieving the advanced clinical practice portfolio was essential to reaching my goals, and USW was the place I wanted to do that.
The course broadened my horizons in ways I had not anticipated. Working alongside pharmacists and diabetologists gave me exposure to areas well outside my usual specialism in vascular nursing, and the outside speakers were a particular highlight - especially hearing from someone who had already navigated the consultant nurse pathway I was aiming for. Learning the clinical competencies required for the OSCEs pushed me into unfamiliar territory, but the clinical simulation suite made that process so much easier. The staff in there were wonderful, nothing was too much trouble, and being able to book a room at relatively short notice when travelling a long distance made a real difference.
Find your courseNurse of the Year
My manager nominated me for Nurse Of The Year because of the work I do beyond my clinical role - sitting on the Society of Vascular Nurses committee and as part of Legs Matter, a national campaign working to improve leg care for patients across the country. Representing Wales within that space is something I feel deeply passionate about, and those efforts were recognised when I was selected for the specialist nursing category and went on to win Nurse of the Year overall - something I absolutely did not expect.
Since winning, I have spoken at events, written for the Western Mail, and appeared on Radio Wales, and I am now taking my campaign for improving lower limb care for vascular patients to the Senedd. The MSc gave me the foundation to push forward, and I have since been rebanded into the consultant nurse post I had always planned for. My advice is simple - go for it, have a plan, and trust that the support will be there when you need it.
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Interested in Nursing?
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