CAREERS & EMPLOYABILITY GUIDEwww.ljmu.ac.uk/careers 1A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCES, INSIGHT & SUPPORT SCHOOL OF NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH & PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES Read student and graduate case studies from the School of Nursing and Allied Health and the Public Health Institute
❙ I have nearly completed the ASYE which has been supported by my current employer. I will gain a senior role within 18 months of employment with my current employer. The ability to be involved with Form F assessing alongside my cases enabling me to take prospective carers through to panel and finalising their role as a foster carer.
For your first job, what did the application process involve and how did you prepare?
Three things that I like about my job:
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To be open minded and apply for jobs that at first may not seem to catch your eye. Try to engage in some voluntary work within local authorities if possible as this will allow you to observe staff before you decide on which role you would like to undertake.
What advice would you give to other students studying the MA in Social Work to improve their employability?
I attend meetings such as LAC reviews and PEP meetings, offer monthly support visits, offer advice and guidance on all aspects of care, such as behaviour management, health and safety and education. I assess prospective foster carers by using the BAAF Form F assessment tool.
Tips or advice for those looking for jobs in social work: Be thorough in your job applications, and condense your work so that you have the essential information needed to meet the criteria.
Ask someone to proofread your application form for any spelling or grammatical mistakes. Read the job description to see how the role would suit or develop your individual skills and experiences.
Briefly, what does your job involve?
My role as a Supervising Social Worker involves working with foster carers and the children/young people that they have in their homes/placement.
❙ The ability to work independently and manage my own caseload.
REBECCA WILCOCK COMPLETED HER SOCIAL WORK MA AT LJMU IN 2017 AND IS NOW A SUPERVISING SOCIAL WORKER AT UK FOSTERING GRADUATE CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 2 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES SOCIAL WORK
❙ Foster Carer Events- we spend two to three days out of the year on fun days out, where we get to spend time as one big foster carer family.
I completed an application form which was sent online, and I then received an invitation for an interview. I prepared by reading up on current legislation and policies. I carried out some research on the employer to make sure I was as prepared as possible.
❙ Working with foster carers and children/young people on a day-to-day basis allows me to have strong, valuable working relationships.
Key points in my career development to date:
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JOE VALINT COMPLETED HIS SOCIAL WORK MA AT LJMU IN 2017 AND IS NOW A SOCIAL WORKER AT LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCIL GRADUATE CASE STUDY OF NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE
Three things that I like about my job:
❙ Working with adults means you can often help to give people back a bit of independence that they may have lost or never had.
Briefly, what does your job involve?
Currently there are quite a few jobs out there but if not agency work is also pretty easy to get once you’re qualified. This will help you gain even more experience.
❙ My team is generic which means the work is always varied. I have worked with a 20-year-old with autism up to a 102-year-old with Alzheimer’s.
www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 3CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
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My second placement was the biggest learning curve for me. Ask lots of questions and try and get as much varied experience as possible. You will need it for applications later one.
For more information about CPD courses offered by LJMU, visit:
ADVANCING YOUR CAREER AFTER YOU HAVE GRADUATED
FLEXIBLE, SUPPORTIVE LEARNING Our CPD courses will enhance your existing skills, help you develop specialised expertise and enhance your long-term job prospects. Thanks to our modular framework, courses can also be studied alongside your existing professional and personal commitments. Undergraduate and postgraduate modules can be studied on a stand-alone basis or as part of a larger award, such as an undergraduate or Masters degree. Throughout your studies you will be supported by Programme
Leaders who act as Personal Tutors, providing both academic guidance and pastoral support so that you can achieve your full potential at LJMU.
Any other comments you would like to make: Finally don’t take your work home with you and don’t agree to work endless overtime. It’s easy to do and once you get in the habit, it’s hard to break. You have to have boundaries and be able to switch off.
I perform Care Act assessments with adults of all ages with additional needs. I then organise appropriate support (carer visits, day centres, nursing homes etc). I conduct mental capacity assessments and best interests decisions as appropriate. This can include DoLs applications and work with the Court of Protection. I also undertake safeguarding investigations when there is an allegation made of abuse or neglect.
Learning doesn’t stop once you graduate. In many ways the biggest learning curves are yet to come. The School of Nursing and Allied Health and the Public Health Institute offer you an extensive range of Continuing Professional Development training programmes that will equip you with the skills, confidence and competence required by the healthcare sector. Our CPDs can be studied as a single, standalone module or as part of a larger award. ljmu.ac.uk/cpd
SCHOOL
CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
MASTERS DEGREES THAT CAN BE STUDIED ALONGSIDE YOUR JOB We offer Advanced Healthcare Practice (Clinical) MSc, PGCert and Public Health MSc that can be achieved through CPD pathways, so you can achieve a Masters degree without having to leave employment.
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For your first graduate job, what did the application process involve and how did you prepare? There is a long written application you need to submit, then a long wait, then an interview. When applying for jobs with councils, be aware of how long the process takes. I initially applied for my current role in October 2017 and didn’t start until March 2018. When being interviewed, always link your answers to real life examples. Do not just show you know the legislation, show how you have used it. Second year placements should help give you more examples. What advice would you give to other students studying the MA in Social Work to improve their employability?
❙ In LCC, the money is pretty good!
Key points in my career development to date: ❙ Graduated October 2017. Began with a role in charity sector. Applied for and offered a 12 month contract with LCC in Jan 2018. My job recently became a permanent post.
I am interested in research and education and would like to continue studying.
The majority of midwives in my Trust rotate between working on the antenatal and postnatal ward and on delivery suite, as well as between working nights and days. I feel like our team is very sup portive and there are lots of exciting (and some daunting!) changes facing midwifery at the moment. I try to be as involved as I can; taking part in discussions about improving our department, fund raising (I recently did an abseil down the hospital to raise money for our Maternity Department), and social events. Three things that I like about my job: ❙ Caring for and making a difference to women and their families. ❙ It’s interesting and varied. There are a variety of possibilities for career progression should I wish to move away from clinical practice in the future.
❙ I am a member of a great team and am proud to work for the NHS.
Briefly, can you tell us a little bit about how you got to where you are today? When I was in high school I went to an AimHigher event at LJMU and accidentally got put in the Healthcare group (which I wasn’t happy about at the time!). Hearing about the different healthcare courses and the careers they could lead to planted the seed in my mind at the age of fourteen and I started researching a career in midwifery. The more I researched, the more I knew it was for me; it was something I was enthused to learn more about and developed a strong passion for. I continued to research how to become a mid wife and worked hard to develop my knowledge of the profession, issues surrounding it, and gained as much relevant experience as I could. I volunteered in Children’s Centres, on a midwifery-led birth unit, at antenatal classes, and did work experience with a communi ty midwife, as well as attending a home birth. I successfully applied for Midwifery whilst doing my A-Levels and completed my degree at LJMU in 2016. I undertook the practical element of my training at Whiston Hospital where I now work. What does your current job involve?
What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability during their studies?
LILLIAN HALEWOOD IS A MIDWIFERY GRADUATE WHO NOW WORKS AS A MIDWIFE AT WHISTON HOSPITAL GRADUATE CASE MIDWIFERYSTUDY SCHOOL OF NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 4 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
Study hard, read broadly, and make the most of opportunities that arise during placement and in university. It’s also important to cut yourself some slack though and remember that there are only so many hours in the day. Nobody is perfect and healthcare degrees involving practice placements like midwifery are arguably some of the toughest. You don’t want to burn out before you have even qualified! Always remember why you wanted to join the profession in the first place and how good you must be to have got onto the course.
Things I’m not so keen on: It can be a very stressful job – the NHS is underfunded and short- staffed, and the number of births is increasing, as well as the needs and expectations of the people we care for and our ever-expanding role.
During my third year I had the opportunity to do an elective place ment for four weeks anywhere in the world - the catch was that it was self-funded. I successfully applied for a Go Global grant from LJMU to help me fund a placement in Tanzania; working in a large regional hospital and spending time working and living with a tribe in a much more remote area. It was an incredible experience and I made wonderful friends from all over the world! I urge anyone with the opportunity to take full advantage of this!
HOSPITAL MANCHESTER GRADUATE CASE STUDY GRADUATE CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTEwww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 5CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
FRAN CLIPPERTON IS A MIDWIFERY GRADUATE WHO CURRENTLY WORKS AS A MIDWIFE AT WARRINGTON & HALTON HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST CAITLIN GRAY GRADUATED IN 2019 WITH A BA (HONS) DEGREE IN MIDWIFERY.
What does your current job involve? I provide health, education, medical and social care to women and their families during the antenatal, intrapartum and post natal period. I work with women to tailor individualised care to their needs. Since completing my degree, I’ve qualified as an examination of the new-born practitioner, and as an acupunc ture midwife, so I perform these roles to offer continuity of care, or through clinics.
What have you enjoyed most about studying Midwifery at LJMU? I enjoyed the small class sizes as it meant we were able to get to know each other and the lecturers really well, and if we were struggling with anything we were able to get help quickly. I also like that we spent three years at the same hospital, as it feels as though I’ve completed my full training journey in the same place which has been really satisfying!
SHE HAS SECURED HER FIRST ROLE AS A ROTATIONAL MIDWIFE AT ST MARY’S
All jobs as a midwife in the UK require a personal statement, so I would recommend writing your personal statement as soon as possible, so that when the job you want is advertised you can apply straightaway. Make sure you tailor your statement to the specific requirements of that role. For the interview, do your research! Most of the interview questions for my role at St Mary’s involved questions about the trust. Find out as much as you can about the trust. What are its core values? What is the demographic? Is it a small unit? Is it a large tertiary referral centre? Is it city centre? Is it rural? All of these factors have different impacts on the care that women in the hospitals need to receive, so make sure you understand the demographic. It will show that you can be the midwife required to care for these women. Arrive on time and do a practice run if you are unfamiliar with the hospital so that you know where you’re going. If possible try and visit the Trust to get a feel for it, as you need to be 100% sure that you want to begin life as a newly-qualified midwife here.
Tell us a little bit about how you got to where you are today: I worked in a commercial and management role for 18 years before deciding I’d like to work in a more caring profession. I completed an Open University course while still working full-time, then volunteered for nine months before starting my midwifery degree at LJMU.
What tips would you give to other midwifery students to help them make the most of their time at university?
I’d recommend all student midwives get involved in everything they can! Join sports societies, look out for voluntary opportunities and try and make friends with people not just on your course. Keep on top of your essays (easier said than done) and you will find the workload more manageable.
Three things that I like about my job:
What did the application process involve and how did you prepare? I applied via NHS-jobs, demonstrating in my application how I met all the required criteria. I had done lots of additional study days, online training and open days whilst a student which was helpful to show different skills and competencies. Once shortlisted, there was an interview with two people which included some sce narios – the work I had done for my viva helped with preparing for this. What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability during their studies? Do relevant extra training and/or volunteering if you can. Get involved on placement – demonstrate to them that you’re interested and helpful. Make it easy for people to see how you fit with what they’re looking for – provide clear answers that give examples of how you meet the requirements. People always need good team players, so consistently support your colleagues in university and on placement and you will get it back in spades.
How did you find applying for your first job and what advice would you give to final year students going for interview?
❙ The team I work with are all very supportive and have really helped me find my feet since qualifying ❙ I enjoy supporting and caring for people ❙ It’s very social – I’m always engaging with people
What have you enjoyed most about studying Midwifery at LJMU? I really enjoyed my whole midwifery training. Particularly learning about mental health and high-risk women in pregnancy. I loved learning about normality in first year and being able to apply it to clinical practice. In third year it feels like everything fits together, the programme is structured really well. I would love to be able to come back and do my Masters eventually. What tips would you give to other midwifery students to help them make the most of their time at university?
Everyone is in the same position so make the most of your cohort/university family. How did you find applying for your first job and what was the interview like? Very daunting at first, but once you sit down and breath you’re fine. You just need to have confidence in yourself, because you’ve trained hard for three years. Different hospital trusts vary. Some only involved an interview with questions focusing on knowledge and scenario-based questions, whereas other trusts involved skills and drills with scenario-based questions. How did you find applying for your first job and what was the interview like? Read and research around the hospital trust values. Make sure that your passion for midwifery shows, and your knowledge will follow! Don’t be afraid to go to a different trust than where you have trained. They are also not going to ask you trick questions; it’s things that you already know, so be confident!
Go to the fresher’s fair to see what societies and clubs there are. Join the Midwifery Society as it enables you to go on great study days that are much cheaper and they are really well organised by the students! In my final year we organised a midwifery ball, and it was lovely to see all of the three year groups there. Also have fun! Being on placement and being full-time at university is really hard, but it is all about balance.
JESSICA SWINDLEHURST IS A 2019 MIDWIFERY GRADUATE WHO NOW WORKS IN THE COUNTESS OF CHESTER HOSPITAL GRADUATE CASE STUDY GRADUATE CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 6 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES CAREERS & EMPLOYABILITY GUIDE www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers CAREER OPTIONS WITH YOUR DEGREE & CASE STUDIES
What tips would you give to other midwifery students to help them make the most of their time at university?
What have you enjoyed most about studying Midwifery at LJMU? I’ve enjoyed being out on placement the most as I have had such friendly and supportive midwifery mentors. They always brought out the best in me. I have been able to finish my midwifery degree as a confident and competent midwifery student due to the excellent teaching and guidance I have received both in placement and at university.
Congratulations on graduating! Where have you secured your first midwifery post? My first job is in the Countess of Chester Hospital. After training for three years in Liverpool Women’s Hospital I decided to go somewhere that I had never worked before!
Always make the most of every lecture and each shift in the hospital. Ask questions, get involved in discussions, challenge things that need changing, but most importantly enjoy every minute because the three years go by so quickly.
ELLIE SMITH GRADUATED IN 2019 WITH A BA (HONS) DEGREE IN MIDWIFERY.
SHE HAS SECURED HER FIRST ROLE AS A BAND 5 MIDWIFE AT ST JAMES’S UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, LEEDS.
How did you find applying for your first job and what was the interview like? I found applying for my first job a really exciting experience. I put all my skills and achievements into my personal statement and tried to reflect on my time as a student. I was interviewed by two really friendly midwives who made me feel at ease straightaway. I was able to answer all the questions calmly and show them my personality and what type of midwife I want to be once qualified. What would your advice be to other students going for interview? It’s important to be true to yourself so you can let your interviewers know who you are as a person and a midwife. My interview involved everyday scenarios a midwife might face, an obstetric emergency as well as CTG interpretation. Before I had my interview, I revised all the scenarios and CTG interpretation in order to be at my best for the interview which I highly recommend. You’ve got this far and now you are ready to become a qualified midwife so give the interview everything you’ve got!
a team to provide support and education to women and their families during pregnancy, childbirth and in the immediate postnatal period.
@LjmuMidSocLjmuMidSoc CONNECT WITH THE MIDWIFERY SOCIETY Download our range of nursing and midwifery guides from the careers website NURSING AND MIDWIFERY - JOB HUNTING TIPS AND USEFUL WEBSITES NURSING AND MIDWIFERY - TACKLING APPLICATION FORMS PLANNING YOUR NURSING CAREER PREPARING FOR YOUR MIDWIFERY INTERVIEW PREPARING FOR YOUR NURSING INTERVIEW www.ljmu.ac.uk/careerswww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures Download our range of nursing and midwifery guides from the careers website AN MIDWIFERYWITHINTERVIEWTHELJMUSOCIETY Midwives work individually and
We chat to the LJMU Midwifery Society to find out why it was set up and how students can get involved.
We also hosted a screening of the health documentary “Microbirth” and organised a CPD-accredited training day on Foetal Alcohol Syndrome. Other workshops have included hypnobirthing, fetal malpositioning, independent midwifery and smoking cessation. We are also launching a research “Journal Club” in which students get together and critique current research in midwifery. The Society has featured in several midwifery publications and offers students a fantastic platform to enhance their CV through various events and networking with organisations.
HOW CAN STUDENTS GET INVOLVED IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO?
our graduates to be confident, competent and skilled practitioners capable of working independently
Membership is open to any student at LJMU who has an interest in midwifery, and most of our events are also open to non-members.
LJMU we
Left to right: Emma Sprawson, Harriet Wicks, Ela Yuregir, Ellen Smith as part of At want and as part of a team. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has recently commended the teaching and facilities at LJMU as ‘outstanding’, so you can be confident of the best possible learning experience.
WHAT DO YOU DO AS A SOCIETY?
7CAREER OPTIONS WITH YOUR DEGREE & CASE STUDIES SCHOOL OF NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTEwww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE CAREERS & EMPLOYABILITY GUIDEwww.ljmu.ac.uk/careers
In addition to your development academically and in clinical practice you will also develop close and strong relationships with your fellow students and a great opportunity to develop this further is through the LJMU Midwifery Society. The LJMU Midwifery Society won “Best Academic Society” at the Liverpool SU Loves You awards in March 2015 and we chatted to the founding members Ela Yuregir, Emma Sprawson, Ellen Smith and Harriet Wicks to tell us a little more…. TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE MIDWIFERY SOCIETY. WHEN DID YOU SET IT UP AND WHY? Originally three of us set up the society – Ela, Emma and Ellen - and now Harriet has also joined the committee. Although the four of us sit as a “committee”, we very much see the Society as a whole group involving all the students. We identified that a lot of the additional study days and events were frequently expensive and incurred considerable travel costs. So we wanted to facilitate a group for all students (not just midwives) with an interest in midwifery that would enable us to attend such events as well as develop our own. We also wanted to create a united front for all LJMU student midwives across all cohorts.
We are in the early stages of our development as a society but so far we have held a few events. For example we have organised a study day with various midwifery speakers including consultant midwife and author Sheena Byrom and One2One consultant midwife Simon Meighan, with over 60 student midwives, social work students, midwives and teachers travelling from as far as Newcastle to attend. We gained excellent feedback from the day and are already receiving enquiries into when our next study day will be.
GRADUATE CASE STUDY CAREERS ENVIRONMENTALIN HEALTH SCHOOL OF NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 8 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
SHARON BEGLEY-MOORE IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH GRADUATE WHO NOW WORKS AS A STUDENT ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OFFICER FOR WEST LANCASHIRE COUNCIL
Three things that I like about my job: ❙ The variety of the work in environmental health. It is so broad and varied, it keeps your interest. ❙ No day is the same.
What does your current job involve? I am on rotation for two or three months in each discipline of environmental health for the purpose of gaining experience in each area. This is mainly by shadowing officers, following cases through and being involved in the decision process involved to reach a conclusion for each job. Each experience feeds into an area required for PPP report purposes.
Tell us a little bit about how you got to where you are today: As a mature student studying for an Environmental Health degree, my goal was always to eventually qualify as an EHO. However, the course does also prepare you for a variety of other careers such as health and safety officer or roles in public health. I wanted to take the year out to complete my PPP and as soon as opportunities arose for placements, I applied, luckily securing a role in a local authority within 20 minutes commute of home.
❙ You are always learning due to the expanse of work areas that are dealt with on a weekly basis. You would find it hard to become bored. Things I’m not so keen on: As I am on an unpaid placement I’m not actively involved in the work, only shadowing. Being unpaid has also been a tough 10 months so far and not an avenue everyone could pursue.
What did the application process involve and how did you prepare? I had to submit a CV to apply for this role. The workshops put on by the Careers, Employability & Start-Up Team really helped me to brush up in this area. I was invited to interview and was required to be knowledgeable in all areas of environmental health. I prepared by brushing up on all areas, legislation and how to formally enforce in each area. As a mature student I focused on what other transferable skills I could bring. I also outlined what they would gain in giving me the opportunity to come on board as a student EHO. I had the opportunity to discuss my dissertation as it focused on EHO’s and how they perceived hoarding. This fact is still remembered today by the interviewing officer who actively sought out an opportunity to take me to a property where hoarding was an issue. What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability? I voluntarily arranged job shadowing opportunities with local authorities while studying. I also actively sought a placement during second year as it is a module option. I feel I greatly benefited from this opportunity. I noted all of this on my CV and I believe it showed initiative and enthusiasm for the role. I wanted to help myself stand out from other candidates. I also believe having a directly relevant dissertation contributed as it is an area you can discuss and show enthusiasm for when interviewed. Look for an angle to make yourself stand out. Don’t be afraid to ask for contacts for job shadowing opportunities. My experience then opened doors by providing contacts for research in my dissertation. I could directly approach officers who were more than willing to be interviewed as part of my research project.
BOROUGH
LOUISE HEFFERNON IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH GRADUATE WHO NOW WORKS AS A BORDER FORCE OFFICER LOUISA SHARPE GRADUATED WITH A BSC (HONS) IN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH IN 2018. SHE IS NOW A COMMISSIONING SUPPORT OFFICER FOR THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT AT ST HELENS COUNCIL
Three things that I like about my job:
What does your current job involve?
There were several stages to the application process. I came across the job on the Civil Service Jobs website. I answered four competency questions where
❙ Going out into the community and talking to pharmacists and GP’s building up good working relationships.
Tell us a little bit about how you got to where you are today: After graduating I was offered a 12-month placement with Flintshire County Council to complete my Portfolio of Professional Practice. I applied for the role with Cheshire East after seven months and was successful with my application. What does your current job involve? Investigating statutory nuisance (noise, light pollution, accumulation of waste), liaising with customers and other Cheshire East Council colleagues to resolve complaints. What did the application process involve and how did you prepare? I had to complete an online application form and was invited for a final interview. I researched the role and person specification to ensure I knew what was expected of me at interview. I also made sure I was familiar with Cheshire East as an organisation – its role, customers, area and structure.
What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability? Attend all the Careers, Employability & Start-Up Team workshop sessions, have a strong LinkedIn profile and if possible look for volunteering opportunities in the role/ organisation you want to work with/in. Any advice for those looking for jobs in your sector? Know your legislation, develop a thick skin, ensure your people skills are good and understand that the learning doesn’t stop when university finishes!
❙ Being able to convert what I have learnt over the past three years and use it in a working environment.
What does your job involve?
How did you got to where you are today?
I drew on many examples from university and my placements. Following that, I took an online assessment, which tested how I would handle common workplace situations. After passing these stages, I was invited to a face-to-face interview. I was then told that I was successful and had to wait for my background checks and references to be completed. This process took quite a long time but I am happy that I stuck with it. What advice would you give to students to improve their employability? Firstly, don’t panic! I found myself worrying about what I wanted to do and how I would get there but it was counterproductive. Just take it one step at a time. I would also say to try and build on your skills outside of academia. Try a new hobby and draw on examples from this as well as your time at university when you are applying for jobs, as it will show that you are a well-rounded person, which employers will love.
GRADUATE CASE STUDY GRADUATE CASE STUDY GRADUATE CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTEwww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 9CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
MARK VYSE IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH GRADUATE WHO CURRENTLY WORKS AS A TECHNICAL OFFICER (POLLUTION) FOR CHESHIRE EAST COUNCIL
My current role involves the commissioning of enhanced services to GP’s and pharmacies such as nicotine replacement therapy, emergency hormonal contraception, health checks etc. I also deal with all payments to the GP’s and pharmacies for these services, keeping records up-to-date of the number of residents accessing these services. I also attend and minute meetings with the commissioning managers for sexual health and substance misuse for the monitoring of those services so that the best possible outcomes are being achieved for the residents of St Helens.
I started university with an idea of what career I wanted to go into but this changed as my degree went on. My course leader helped me to look at a variety of careers that were available to me and opened my eyes to the many different opportunities. Completing my degree has given me many transferable skills that I have taken into the workplace. I am happy I went to university or I would not have had the chance to develop these skills.
What did the selection process involve and how did you prepare?
Working for Border Force means that I am the first line of defence in protecting the UK border. Border Force Officers facilitate the legitimate movement of people and goods throughout the UK. We do this by enforcing immigration and customs regulations and gathering intelligence.
What did the application process involve and how did you prepare?
❙ St Helens has many health inequalities and I enjoy working alongside a team that work hard and use each other’s expertise trying to improve health outcomes.
The role was advertised on St Helens Council website as a six-month full-time position at the end of my second year. I felt it would be a good opportunity to gain experience within the field over the summer. I completed the application matching up my skills and experiences to the person specification and was invited to interview. Before the interview, I researched St Helens Council and then looked at the St Helens profile for public health, such as life expectancy, obesity, substance misuse data etc. I also read their ongoing campaigns, so I had a good understanding of their priorities. When I was due to return to university in September, they offered me a permanent role with days that worked around my studies. What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability? Use your spare time over the summer wisely to gain experience, and if you are unable to get a paid position, volunteer. Before university, I worked in a Sure Start Centre and I often worked with graduates who did not have work experience, so were struggling to find employment. The local job centre would send them on a six-week placement to gain work experience for their CV, and nearly all went on to gain employment. This shows the more experience you have of working, the more employable you are. Also the more confident you will be in an interview as you will be able to give examples of your skills and abilities to match what they are asking.
❙ Giving young people an opportunity to learn and gain recognition for achievements. ❙ Going on residential with our groups and seeing how much of a positive impact the experience can have.
What does your current job involve?
What I’m not so keen on: The paperwork!! Registration forms need to be logged and everything needs to be recorded when completing sessions. When on residential, it can be very tiring and you don’t get a lot of rest. But on the other hand, it is one of the best aspects of the job. What did the application process involve and how did you prepare? I contacted the charity, as I used to work in partnership with them before I started teaching. I did not want to continue teaching so I was seeking parttime work. I was informed that there was a full-time job they would like me to apply for. Once the application went live, I completed it, with references and a full personal statement. I was invited for an interview, where I knew I would be asked about my previous experience. I wasn’t very nervous as I knew I had a lot of experience to talk about. I prepared by listing my experiences and some of the skills that I could offer. I re-read my CV and made sure I could back each statement made with relevant examples. I had the interview and was informed that evening that I had got the role! What relevant work experience/volunteering did you refer to during the selection process? Experiences from placements I completed at university, for example, in youth clubs, education centres and football coaching. I also talked about delivering sessions in schools, keeping calm and composed during challenging situations and working with others to plan and prepare the sessions. I also spoke about working on youth-led projects and how I empowered young people to achieve their goals. What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability? Get as much experience as you can and build contacts! The more experience you have, the more you can talk about in applications and interviews. If you don’t have it to talk about, it makes the process a lot more stressful and difficult to manage.
Tell us a little bit about how you got to where you are today: During my degree, we completed modules and placements to help us gain experience in a work environment. I applied for a summer job with one of the organisations and was recruited on a part-time basis during my degree which then turned into a full-time role. I then applied for a full-time role with a partner, working in schools across the North West, running sessions and signing young people up to youth programmes. After two and a half years I then had a career change and went into teaching. I soon realised this wasn’t for me and so started working with Everton in the Community, a partner from my previous job. I was offered a full-time role with them, working as NCS Co-ordinator and Duke of Edinburgh Manager.
Three things that I like about my job:
My current role involves working with some of the most vulnerable people across Merseyside and North Wales. I work on the National Citizen Service programme (NCS), one of the fastest growing youth projects across the UK, working with 16-18 year olds, upskilling them and giving them new experiences. I also manage the Duke of Edinburgh programme, similar to NCS, giving young people aged 14-25 the opportunity to gain new skills and get recognised for the work they complete. My role involves working face-to-face with young people, social workers, case workers, parents, guardians and outside partners.
❙ Working with one of the biggest charities in Merseyside and partners who are passionate about giving the Merseyside community support and opportunities.
PAUL SEMPLE IS A WORKING WITH CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE (NOW HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE FOR INDIVIDUAL, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES) GRADUATE WHO NOW WORKS AS AN NCS CO-ORDINATOR AND DUKE OF EDINBURGH MANAGER FOR EVERTON IN THE CASE
COMMUNITY GRADUATE
CAREERSSTUDY IN THE HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE FIELD SCHOOL OF NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 10 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
I am currently studying the two-year MA Social Work course at LJMU. Several factors influenced my decision to apply to this course. For example I worked in a children’s home during my undergraduate degree and this enabled me to see the work of social workers and it became something I was extremely interested in. I decided that once I finished the degree course I wanted to enter a recognised ‘profession’ and so social work was my clear choice. My degree course also gave me a good insight into what social work was all about and so I knew what I would be getting into.
Tell us a little bit about how you got to where you are today: Whilst completing my final year at LJMU, I completed a 40-hour placement at Brook. Although it was a short placement, I learnt a great deal, made a good impression and I was asked to apply for a job, which I was successful in gaining. What does your current job involve? My current job involves supporting the needs of young people around topics of relationships, sexual health, confidence, selfesteem and body image. We are primarily a sexual health service, but our work has expanded so much in recent years and we are now delivering a range of sessions to young people. We work closely with partnership agencies to offer further support for young people around Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE), mental health and addictions.
❙ Seeing young people achieve their goals.
❙ Empowering young people to make the right decisions for them. What relevant work experience/volunteering did you refer to? I had previously completed work experience in a day centre for people with mental health conditions, and for six years I had volunteered at a youth club for young people with disabilities. I had plenty of relevant experience I could talk about. However, it’s important to remember that whatever experience you have, in many respects the skills are transferable to a variety of roles – so just make sure you are doing something whilst at university!
My advice would be to gain as much experience as you can. Volunteering or placements can be an excellent pathway into a career, as the employer can see how well you could fit into a role. There is a lot of competition, and degrees play such a vital part in the process of applying for jobs, however employers look very favourably on previous work and volunteering. Also have confidence in yourself - when I first started at Brook, I would have said my confidence was relatively good, but by throwing myself into the work and leading on different sessions with young people my confidence has only continued to grow.
What postgraduate course are you studying? What attracted you to this course?
❙ Supporting the needs of young people.
The Health and Social Care for Individuals, Families and Communities course at LJMU is very broad so keep an open mind about your career options. Don’t get anxious at the beginning when people talk about not being sure what they want to do – that is fine. If, for example, you want to go into nursing, go straight to nursing admissions or see a careers and employability adviser. Get as much experience as you can. If you want to go into social work you need to build this up very early on – even just one day a week. As the course goes on, put as much effort in as possible during first and second year – don’t leave it all until the third year!
What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability?
RACHEAL BOYLAN IS A HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES GRADUATE WHO NOW WORKS AS AN EDUCATION AND WELLBEING ASSISTANT SPECIALIST AT BROOK – HEALTHY LIVES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE GRADUATE CASE STUDY GRADUATE CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTEwww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 11CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
DERVLA O’CONNELL GRADUATED WITH A DEGREE IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES IN 2014 AND SUCCESSFULLY GAINED A PLACE ON THE LJMU MA SOCIAL WORK PROGRAMME.
Three things that I like about my job:
What relevant work experience and volunteering did you refer to during this selection process? I have done quite a lot of volunteering over the years and have worked as a childcare worker in a children’s home which has proven very useful. I have worked with children, teenagers, adults with learning disabilities and I have liaised and worked with other professionals such as CAMHS, social workers and teachers. In my roles I have completed mother and baby assessments, children and baby assessments etc. I think the fact that I have worked with several different types of vulnerable groups has given me an excellent foundation and understanding. This was also really helpful when detailing my 500 hours of relevant experience needed to get onto the MA programme. What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability?
CHARLOTTE PICKSTOCK IS A HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES
For the School Direct course, what did the application process involve and how did you prepare? For the School Direct route into teacher training, you still attend university, but the majority of your learning will be completed in a school. I completed my application form via UCAS. I found it very useful going to the Careers, Employability & Start-Up Team to discuss my options and to get my personal statement checked before sending it. Following this, the school’s training provider contacted me informing me that I had an interview. My interview consisted of an English test and I had to prepare a 20-minute activity, based on a book, which I would complete with a group of children. This was assessed by a member of LJMU and the deputy head teacher.
MARK COLEBOURN GRADUATED WITH A DEGREE IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES IN 2019 AND SECURED A PLACE ON THE THINK AHEAD PROGRAMME, WHICH TRAINS GRADUATES TO BECOME QUALIFIED MENTAL HEALTH SOCIAL WORKERS. GRADUATE CASE STUDY INSTITUTE www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures
How has your degree helped prepare you for your teacher training course? It has helped me in many ways, for example developing my understanding of children’s rights, safeguarding issues and children’s mental health. My degree also allowed me to complete placements in different school settings, such as a school for children with complex learning difficulties giving me excellent hands-on experience. Why do you want to become a teacher? I have had lots of experience working with children in different settings and from different backgrounds. I have always really enjoyed my experiences especially the rewards of seeing students develop. I am also very passionate about ensuring that all children are taught and cared for in a way that suits their specific abilities. I want to take this passion and implement it in educational settings. I want to be a teacher as I want to make a difference in children’s lives.
GRADUATE WHO IS NOW TRAINING TO BE A PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHER VIA SCHOOL DIRECT GRADUATE CASE STUDY
I have a passion for working within the field of mental health and the Think Ahead programme focuses on this. Additionally, the course is funded differently from the more traditional university routes into social work. There are no student loans or tuition fees to worry about as all costs are covered by a bursary during the first year. In the second year of the programme you are able to register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and practise as a newly-qualified social worker while getting paid a standard social worker salary.
Did the LJMU Careers, Employability & Start-Up Team help you in any way? Yes I visited the Careers, Employability & Start-Up Team to discuss all of my options, as well as having meetings about my personal statement. They also helped with interview preparation and I was given a list of frequently asked interview questions. They also helped me with my preparation for the professional skills test.
My course focused heavily on working with disadvantaged and vulnerable members of society. Along with various university placements and volunteering work the role of a social worker seemed to be an obvious career choice.
Why did you decide to pursue a career in social work?
During my voluntary work and university placements I have come into contact with service users of different ages, genders and with a variety of often complex issues. During the application process I had to demonstrate how I interacted with service users with particular emphasis on having good communication skills and being able to develop relationships based on trust. What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability? Always keep your CV up-to-date. Mine was not up-to-date and I got caught out having to rush together a new CV to include the newlyacquired skills and experiences I had learned during my course and placements.
What did the application / selection process involve for the Think Ahead route and how did you prepare?
To prepare I spent some time revising some of my more relevant modules and assessments. I felt afterwards they definitely helped. In fact, one of the activities I was asked to complete during my assessment day was almost identical to a university assessment I had completed just two weeks before. What work experience / skills / volunteering did you refer to?
SCHOOL OF NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
❙ An online Situational Judgement Test (SJT).
What attracted you to the Think Ahead graduate scheme in particular?
❙ An assessment centre which required taking part in a number of activities linked to the day-to-day work of a mental health social worker
If you were successful in the test and activity you were invited to an interview. The interview was in front of a teacher, the deputy head and the head teacher. They asked questions to explore my understanding of the course and why I wanted to be a teacher. In addition to the interview you are required to pass an English and Maths Professional Skills Test, so it was important to prepare for these too and check when the school wants you to pass them. Some schools require you to pass these before the interview. The interview was a success and I was offered a conditional place on the course following the completion of my degree. The application and interview process is not as daunting as it sounds! It was enjoyable and the teachers are encouraging as they want you to do well. What relevant work experience/volunteering did you refer to during the selection process?
❙ Online application form, which included making two short videos.
12 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
For teaching it is important to build up relevant experience. I have gained lots of experiences in settings with children from nursery placements, primary schools and in schools for children with disabilities, in addition to being a Scout and Beaver group leader. I have also worked alongside children who had parents in prison. I developed many skills and an understanding of the importance of being patient, confident, enthusiastic and understanding children’s needs and abilities.
The application process was split into three stages:-
Three things that I like about my job:
I attended an open day with Wirral University Teaching Hospital, alongside lots of other final-year students, newly-qualified staff and skilled nurses. The trust appointed staff to look after us throughout the day and after introducing themselves, the day began. There were presentations about the trust, the values and the recruitment process. I then had to complete an English test. This was a short essay question, asking us to incorporate the trust values of #PROUD, into how we feel we have delivered excellent standards of care. After this I completed a short maths test and then the interview. The staff took us in for group interviews and asked us questions regarding the Francis report, the NMC and situational questions. They allowed us to discuss between us and it was a very relaxed Myenvironment.tipswould be to enjoy it (I know it sounds clichéd) but it is never as bad as you think it is going to be. The staff are there to help and support you throughout the process and they want you to succeed. Also it’s very important to be yourself - it is you that will convince them that you are an excellent, caring and compassionate nurse. What advice would you give to students to improve their employability? You always have to be willing and ready to learn. Each day within nursing is a new day, providing new opportunities and new learning curves and you have to be open to this. Take the opportunities that arise in university that help develop your professional portfolio, enrol in online learning courses and take part in teaching sessions within placements. From doing this you will learn a great amount that can be transferred into your RGN role. Take time to learn about yourself. What are your strengths and weaknesses? What are your best attributes? What skills and characteristics do you have that may set you aside from others?
❙ Meeting the patients throughout the unit and listening to their stories. On an acute unit, patients come from a wide range of backgrounds and it is great experience to improve upon interpersonal skills, conflict resolution and social skills within healthcare, such as liaising with safeguarding and social services.
SHE IS NOW A WARD SISTER AT ARROWE PARK HOSPITAL GRADUATE CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTEwww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 13CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
Everyone has something that makes him or her a great nurse or great colleague, so find yourself and use it to your advantage. On our unit self-reflection is key and staff have to be honest and open to enable us to offer support and learning opportunities where necessary.
Over time I became a more confident nurse and my clinical skills were vast. As jobs started to become open, I expressed an interest so the managers understood my desire to excel within my career, and at a later date when I felt ready, I applied and was lucky enough to be given the opportunity.
❙ I wish I could do more regarding health and wellbeing at work and help to improve staff morale within the unit. Although small changes may take a long time I hope to have more time in the future to improve upon this.
Tell us about the recruitment process at your trust and what are your top tips?
❙ I am very thankful for the platform it has given me to raise issues within workplaces, such as mental health and wellbeing at work and I enjoy working within teams to help improve upon this.
NURSING CAREERS –ADULT, MENTAL HEALTH AND CHILD
Things I’m not so keen on: ❙ I find it difficult after a long and busy day to relax at home. As a senior nurse, the role involves dedication which means emails outside of work and ensuring staff are happy with their shifts and work life.
Tell us about how you got to where you are: I began working within AMU in September 2016. The team are very supportive and are always there to help with learning and development. I began signing up for training days to ensure I was clinically trained as best as I could be. This included becoming a Clinical Champion, attending courses such as ECG Rhythm Recognition and being ILS trained. I began discussing ideas I believe would benefit the unit to the managers and asked about co-ordinating the unit.
❙ Being able to help and support my colleagues. This job role has given me greater opportunities to learn and develop as a professional and it is great to be able to help wherever possible.
STEPHANIE THOMPSON GRADUATED WITH A BSC (HONS) IN ADULT NURSING.
What does your job involve? I currently work on the Acute Medical Unit, which is one of the largest and busiest units within the trust. Every year we help care for over 25,000 patients and it is my responsibility to ensure we maintain excellent standards of care to all. I have to ensure the ward maintains its quality standards, including vital aspects such as infection control. I regularly co-ordinate the unit to support staff and help guarantee safe, compassionate and effective care to all our patients.
As a staff nurse I care for children with a wide range of heart, lung and airway conditions. We are a paediatric transplant centre, accepting patients from all over the UK for heart/lung transplantation and assessment, as well as congenital heart defects from within the North East region. I assess, plan, deliver and evaluate high-quality patient care on the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). The patients may be linked to machines which take over the work normally done by the lungs, heart and kidneys; my role is to manage the patients and these machines, and support the families throughout the child’s inpatient experience. We receive patients from theatres following surgery for congenital heart defects, and care for them throughout the postoperative period until they are well enough to be discharged to the High Dependency Unit (HDU) or ward.
❙ Undertaking VAD (ventricular assist device) training, enabling me to care for children waiting for transplant whilst on a berlin heart/heartware device.
Key points in my career development to date:
❙
As a student nurse my final placement was at Brownlow Health. I carried out 12 weeks at Brownlow and felt that this area of work suited me. I applied for a job when it came up on NHS jobs and then went through the recruitment process. Since starting at Brownlow I have had support and training from the Practice Nurse Development Team. Top tips for students during the recruitment process and generally to improve their employability: Recruitment is through NHS jobs, so set up alerts to your email for a specific search. For example ‘primary care’ or a specific hospital if you are interested in secondary care. Attend career fairs and speak with people from other areas to see what they do in their jobs. Have a mock interview. I did this and found it to be invaluable. Dress smartly and be prepared with questions for the interviewer!
MEGAN RICCIO GRADUATED WITH A DEGREE IN ADULT NURSING IN 2018, SHE IS NOW A TRAINEE PRACTICE NURSE AT BROWNLOW HEALTH. GRADUATE CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 14 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
How did you get to where you are?
I started actively applying for jobs in April of third year; I carried out job searches on NHS jobs in the run up to this on a weekly basis. I kept my personal statement updated and adapted it as required for any jobs I applied for. On a few occasions, I emailed/phoned the unit I was interested in to see whether they would be accepting newly-qualified nurses as there were one or two places that were only advertising for experienced staff. I travelled up to Newcastle and back in a day for an afternoon interview. I ensured that I’d done as much background research as possible. I was asked about topics to which I could reference the six C’s of nursing, as well as my understanding of accountability and the general staff nurse role. I made sure to revise my knowledge of the circulatory system; I wasn’t asked anything to do with clinical skills or anatomy and physiology in my cardiac interview, however another PICU asked me to identify the signs of raised intracranial pressure so I always advise going over anatomy notes relevant to the speciality. What kinds of work experience and volunteering did you do to help you get to where you are today? When I was 17, I was lucky enough to be able to travel to Sri Lanka for a monthlong hospital placement, partially sponsored by a Nuffield Science bursary. This gave me an in-depth look into healthcare services in the developing world, and enhanced my drive to be accepted on a medically focused course. As a student nurse, I worked as a healthcare assistant for bank shifts at Alder Hey Hospital which was a useful way of getting experience on wards I hadn’t had the chance to be placed on, orthopaedics for example. I was also a member of the Student Mentoring Scheme, and through this was on the organising committee for the first North West Student Health Conference in 2012, as well as presenting at other conferences (such as the LJMU Teaching and Learning Conference) throughout the academic year.
What does your current job involve? Each day is very different within my role. In any given morning clinic I could be carrying out a variety of long-term condition reviews such as asthma, diabetes, learning disabilities, atrial fibrillation, epilepsy, chronic kidney disease, chronic heart disease etc. In the afternoon, I could see patients for all adult vaccinations, sexual health screening, contraceptive advice, NHS health checks and Baby Clinic where I administer childhood vaccinations. I can also order and manage all my own blood tests and diagnostic tests such as spirometry testing. I am currently waiting to undertake my Cervical Cytology course. I am also on a two-year training course and also completing my preceptorship with my mentor in Brownlow.
1. Challenging – one shift I may have a fairly stable long-term patient, the next I may be looking after a volatile post-operative patient.
What does your job involve?
3. Nursing autonomy – I am able to adjust ventilator settings according to blood gas results, work independently in a cubicle, titration of drug infusions up/down according to the patient’s clinical presentation and various other elements of patient care according to set protocols.
❙
What did the application process involve for your first job?
REBECCA SARJEANT GRADUATED FROM LJMU WITH A BSC (HONS) IN CHILD NURSING WITH REGISTERED NURSE STATUS. SHE NOW WORKS AS A CARDIOTHORACIC PAEDIATRIC INTENSIVE CARE NURSE AT NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST. (continued overleaf) GRADUATE CASE STUDY
❙ Accepting link nurse roles for safeguarding, patient diaries, psychological support and child development.
PICU nursing is hard, and an incredibly stressful area in which to work; one of the interview questions referenced this and how I dealt with it. Be prepared to learn quickly! There was some work to be done off the unit, such as a hefty medicines management book, which needed completing before I was able to check oral and intravenous medication. Double-check in your interview what will be expected of you as a new staff nurse as all centres will differ. Be able to describe blood flow around the heart; it will make a lot more sense when identifying how certain defects affect circulation/oxygenation.
Any tips or advice for those looking for jobs in your sector?
2. Specialised – the unit is one of only two in the country providing paediatric heart/lung transplantation and bridge to transplant (VAD). We are often perceived as being the ‘last chance’ for children in heart failure.
Three things that I like about my job:
❙ Founding member of ‘TESS’; a team emotional support system, which aims to reduce feelings of stress in the workplace by providing debriefs after incidents. We have a named nurse on each shift that staff can approach if required.
Three things that I like about my job: Running my own clinics and seeing patients Having discussions with doctors about medication that I would either like to stop or start for my patients ❙ Working with such amazing staff members in primary care
❙ Undertaking training in dialysis using the prismaflex.
❙ Completing my 12-month preceptorship programme.
DARIAN
EVE GRADUATED IN 2012 IN MENTAL HEALTH NURSING.
❙ Having to think and act quickly in managing challenging and difficult situations that can arise when dealing with such a complex patient group.
❙ Having a greater insight and understanding of the Trust’s strategy and vision for the future and being able to lead my colleagues towards achieving this.
The most enjoyable part of my training was the practical element. I gained a lot of knowledge and skills during the clinical skills sessions. The clinical placements then enabled me to put these into practice and increase my competence and confidence. The variety of clinical placements also provided me with a valuable insight into which areas of nursing I was interested in, which gave me clarity and direction when I started looking for jobs. What did the application process involve and how did you prepare? I was determined to work at the Walton Centre due to my interest in neurology. Once I found a job advertised on NHS jobs I applied and after about two weeks I received an invitation to interview. I then arranged an informal visit as I had never had a placement at the Walton Centre. I would highly recommend this as it was beneficial to visit the ward and meet some of the staff, which made the interview slightly less daunting. My interview preparation consisted of going through the job advertisement and person specification to highlight the important information I would discuss at interview. I also booked a mock interview with the Careers, Employability & Start-Up Team which was extremely beneficial as this provided me with interview style questions and scenarios. Did you do anything during your time at university to develop your skills outside of placements and lectures? I was a student mentor which was extremely beneficial, as it enabled me to expand and develop my own knowledge by teaching clinical skills to other nursing students. The role also enabled me to take part in pre-registration student interviews, moderate OSCE’s, take part in the NMC review of the BSc programme and complete the 3i’s teaching course. I was also involved in the development and implementation of the ‘Links to Health and Social Care e-journal’. I published a piece as an author and I edited other articles. This opportunity led me to present at the RCN education conference in Cardiff with a nursing lecturer which was an invaluable experience. What advice would you give to other students studying at LJMU to improve their employability? Get involved in as many additional activities relating to the course, such as being a student mentor or getting involved with the e-journal. They enabled me to develop personally and professionally and provided many examples to discuss during the interview. It ultimately helps you stand out from other candidates by demonstrating motivation and enthusiasm.
SHE IS NOW A WARD MANAGER AT MERSEY CARE What does your job involve?
Tell us about the recruitment process at your trust and your top tips? The recruitment process for staff nurses consists of several stages: Application: You are required to submit the application form online. Make this as comprehensive as possible and include as much experience and personal strengths as you can. Assessment Centre: If you are shortlisted from application, you will be invited to an assessment centre, which usually consists of: Group Discussion - Your interactions and engagement with others will be assessed as well as the content of your Writtendiscussion.Piece-You will be asked to write a written piece in a specified time frame. This is something that you will be expected to be able to do in practice such as a care plan. Maths Examination - You will then be asked to complete a medicines calculation exam where a 100% pass rate is required. If you are successful in all of the above, you will then be invited to a valuesbased interview. My top tip is have a positive attitude! I believe that the attitude that an individual presents at interview is extremely important and gives a real vibe into their values and how much they want the job. Do your homework! If you really want a job, do your research, get an idea as to what they might ask, prepare as much as you can and give yourself the best possible chance. You can tell when an individual has researched for a job and when someone has just turned up. What advice would you give to students to improve their employability? Get as much experience as possible in different environments. Work hard on placement and build a positive reputation for yourself. It will take you far when you’re looking for a reference. What did you enjoy most about your nurse training?
LOVELL IS AN ADULT NURSING GRADUATE WHO NOW WORKS AS A STAFF NURSE AT WALTON CENTRE FOUNDATION TRUST GRADUATE CASE STUDY GRADUATE CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTEwww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 15CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
Tips or advice for those looking for jobs in your sector: When looking for jobs don’t be afraid to apply to trusts that you haven’t had a placement in. The main thing is that you are interested in the job role you are applying for. Take the time to research and read up on areas/specialities you might be interested in. If you are unsure, apply for as many jobs as you can and if you get invited for interview, utilise the time at the end to ask questions regarding the area which might help you decide. Take your time when applying for jobs, don’t rush, get someone to proofread your application and seek help when preparing for interviews.
I am the ward manager for Poplar Ward in Scott Clinic. Poplar Ward is the only female ward in the secure division of Mersey Care and provides medium-secure care for up to eight women. The workforce that I currently manage is approximately 34 staff. My job involves the dayto-day management of complex challenges that can arise in such an environment whilst providing and maintaining high standards of patient care and leadership to my colleagues.
Three things that I like about my job:
MOUSLEY
❙ The sense of pride when seeing quality improvements being made and the ward achieving accomplishments and being recognised for the positive and wonderful work that they do on a daily basis. How did you get to where you are? I believe that I got to where I am by not giving up and working extremely hard! I qualified when I was 20 and I’ve since returned back to university every single year to do some form of professional development, so I am always learning and I am always open to new ideas. I believe that in order to succeed you have to be open to new challenges. I have moved across the secure division numerous times in different roles which has provided me with a wealth of knowledge and experience that I wouldn’t have gained if I’d have resisted change.
I started as a student on the paramedic studies foundation degree course at LJMU in 2007. After this I gained a full-time position as a paramedic with NWAS and continued studying for the BSc Hons degree and graduated in 2011. In 2013 I took a secondment opportunity with North West Air Ambulance as a Helicopter Emergency Paramedic for three years. In 2014 I then commenced my MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice at LJMU. For the past 10 months I have been working as a Community Specialist Paramedic in Wythenshawe and have so far completed five Masters modules. During the past eight years since qualifying I have been a student mentor and have delivered some teaching and assisted with practical study sessions at LJMU.
RACHEL CHILDS IS A PARAMEDIC STUDIES GRADUATE WHO NOW WORKS AS A COMMUNITY SPECIALIST PARAMEDIC FOR NORTH WEST AMBULANCE SERVICE GRADUATE CASE PARAMEDICSTUDY SCIENCE SCHOOL OF NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 16 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
The community specialist paramedic role is to provide awareness and education to a community in the appropriate use of 999, and develop alternative pathways to avoid hospital attendance and unplanned admission. My current role involves working in primary care alongside GP’s and other community teams, using advanced holistic assessment skills, to provide timely health and social care interventions in the community. The aim is to provide a more coordinated and robust response to enable patients to remain safely at home and to prevent avoidable hospital admissions through advanced care planning. The role also includes working closely with nursing and residential homes, and frequent callers to reduce their 999 impact. My job role also includes the innovation and development of referral pathways for utilisation by NWAS staff when it is not appropriate for a patient to go to hospital.
❙ Having the opportunity to experience and appreciate the wider healthcare environment in order to drive on system change within the ambulance service. ❙ Meeting a new patient and having the ability to improve their whole well-being and not just their health status.
Can you outline what the application process involved and how you prepared? Most NWAS applications follow the same process, but can be tailored depending on the type of job you’re applying for. Initially this involves an application via NHS jobs, followed by online psychometric testing. Then, if successful, a written clinical examination. This is followed by a practical skills assessment and finally an interview. The recruitment process for my current role also included a 10-minute presentation at interview stage. My Helicopter Emergency Paramedic application also included a fitness test and some map reading!
Tell us about how you got to where you are today:
Three things that I like about my job:
❙ Working independently and making autonomous decisions, whilst at the same time still being part of one big green team.
What does your current job involve?
Three things I’m not so keen on: ❙ Administration. ❙ Getting up early five days a week (I could sleep forever!) ❙ I can’t think of a third!
What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability during their studies? Keep up-to-date with current healthcare news and developments. Be aware of any local changes in the trust/service you are looking at for employment. If you have the time, try to spare a few hours for volunteering or doing some part-time work in a health-related setting.
For your first job, can you briefly outline what the application process involved and how you prepared?
The application and selection process ran very smoothly with the assistance of LJMU. We were told when to apply and the processes involved quite early on in our final year. We also had recruitment personnel from NWAS come into university to guide us through. After we completed our application forms, we had an interview and soon after we were told that we were successful. We had about a month or two between finishing university and starting work. We first of all had to complete a three-week emergency driving course followed by a six-week induction.
Three things that I like about my job:
❙ Shift work, because it allows me to have a good work-life balance and spend time with my family!
AN ADVANCED PARAMEDIC FOR NORTH WEST
Three things that I like about the job role/chosen profession: There are lots of things I like about my job. Not knowing what I’ll be doing or where I’ll be is a great feeling. I couldn’t work in an office doing the same job in the same place all day every day as I like to be out and about! I love helping people. It’s why we all sign up to this job; being able to save someone’s life and have them thank you is probably the most rewarding thing about being a paramedic. I like learning, and as a paramedic, every day is a school day!
MIKE AINSLIE GRADUATED IN 2012 WITH A DIPHE PARAMEDIC PRACTICE AND NOW WORKS AS A PARAMEDIC FOR NORTH WEST AMBULANCE SERVICE
Key points in my career development to date: Key points are completing my rapid response driver training and passing the pre-hospital emergency life support course.
❙ Being able to support and develop existing staff members and supporting them at emergency calls.
What are your long-term career plans? My long term career plan is to obtain my BSc and then progress onto the MSc and I would eventually like to become a Critical Care Paramedic working on HEMS or an Advanced Paramedic.
❙ Responding to the most unwell patients that the trust responds to.
What relevant work experience/skills/volunteering did you have? I joined St John Ambulance in Wales when I was 13. I knew then I wanted to be a paramedic. I’m still a member 15 years later and occasionally attend events as and when needed. At 18, I started working in my local hospital to gain valuable experience in the medical profession. I completed an Access to HE course and was successful in applying for the paramedic course. I truly believe that having had this experience in the NHS and for St John Ambulance before I started the course was invaluable. The most important thing in this job is being able to communicate with people effectively. I don’t believe you can teach this, as it’s something that improves with experience. I could be breaking bad news to an 86-year-old lady whose husband has just died after over 60 years of marriage one minute, then the next job I could be trying to calm down an agitated mental health patient. We never know what our next incident will be but having this experience has taught me how best to communicate and adapt to the situation. I’m extremely grateful for the experience I’ve had as I feel it has helped me greatly. What advice would you give to other students at LJMU to improve their employability? The best advice I can give to improve employability is to stand out from the crowd! Be different and be the best! That might involve completing some extra CPD courses or volunteering your time doing some charity work etc. If I was an employer, I’d be looking for that person who has gone the extra mile. I believe experience combined with education is the key. Gain as much experience as possible and stand out from the crowd and you can’t go far wrong! Any other comments you would like to make: As cheesy as it sounds, I think that being a paramedic is the best job in the world and it is a privilege. I am grateful to LJMU for everything and for the help and support the staff gave me when I was a student.
Don’t primarily look to improve your employability - look first to improve and maintain the highest clinical standards of care and performance. Having high standards of theory and practical skills will increase your confidence in yourself as a practitioner and make you more employable as a by-product. Never lose sight of why you applied to join the profession in the first place. And don’t just work to become a paramedic, work to be the very best paramedic you can be – this will be one of the most employable traits you can have.
Briefly describe your current job: I work as a paramedic for NWAS. My job involves responding to emergency and non-emergency calls either in a front-line ambulance or a rapid response car.
How did you get to where you are today and what does your current job involve? I graduated from LJMU in 2009 as a registered paramedic. I have been employed by NWAS since then and have progressed up to the post of advanced paramedic. As an advanced paramedic I am the first line manager for a team of senior paramedics. They in turn manage the staff base of paramedics and emergency medical technicians. We are dispatched routinely to the most unwell patients that the trust deals with ranging from cardiac arrests, major trauma and major medical illness and take overall clinical lead at these incidents. We are also available for remote advice calls for ambulance crews who need advice and support emergency calls and help signpost them to the most appropriate destination.
RICHARD EVANS AS AMBULANCE SERVICE
What did the application process involve and how did you prepare? After serving time as a paramedic and then as a senior paramedic I applied for my current post as an advanced paramedic. After completing the application form, I had to sit a psychometric ‘managerial situational awareness’ test. After passing this, I then progressed to the practical testing phase. This consisted of a clinical assessment paper and a 30-minute Observed Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE). Phase three was a final interview.
GRADUATE CASE STUDY GRADUATE CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTEwww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 17CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability during their studies?
IS A PARAMEDIC STUDIES GRADUATE WHO NOW WORKS
Tell us a little bit about how you got to where you are today?
What does your job involve?
LIBBY WILKINSON GRADUATED WITH AN MSC INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH AS A PERSPECTIVES AND ENGLISH TEACHER AT
❙ I had worked with children with special needs before attending university.
I would like to develop the programme Global Perspectives in a range of schools across Ghana and to help develop more in-school sexual health education programmes. Three things that I like about the job role/chosen profession: ❙ I get to use the knowledge I gained during my MSc. ❙ Engaging with a range of diverse cultures and backgrounds ❙ Developing internationalmypublic health perspectives Things I’m not so keen on: Lower salary than the UK and occasional cultural differences.
AND NOW WORKS
GLOBAL
What relevant work experience/skills did you have?
MULTIKIDS INCLUSIVE ACADEMY IN GHANA POSTGRADUATE CASE CAREERSSTUDYIN PUBLIC HEALTH SCHOOL OF NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 18 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
I was an intern for the West Africa AIDS Foundation in Ghana and began networking with contacts. I heard about the school Multikids Inclusive Academy, which is the only school in the country that caters for children with diverse needs, such as cerebral palsy, autism, dyslexia and Down syndrome.
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❙ I supported students with dyslexia at the University of Liverpool ❙ I have an undergrad degree in Health and Social Care –gaining knowledge around children’s rights to education and working with vulnerable groups. I have a TEFL qualification, which supported my teaching role
Teaching a programme called Global Perspectives to a group of students with a range of learning needs.
What are your long term career plans?
What advice would you give to other students studying at LJMU to improve their employability? Volunteer and gain as much experience as you can. Go to lectures and talks given outside of scheduled time to network with contacts. Attend workshops to develop skills on how to write an effective CV. Tips or advice for those looking for jobs in your sector: Network with as many people as you can. If you want to work internationally, it is easier to find a job once in the country. Gain a lot of relevant experience internationally.
The course has enabled me to put the topics discussed on this course into action in my role as SSP. Bowel cancer is an emotive subject and needs to be discussed in an empathetic way with patients and their families. This course included topics such as breaking bad news (BBN). Participating in role plays to include topics such as BBN meant that nurses could view how others were BBN and we were able to learn from each other’s techniques. It is extremely important to feel confident in the fact that following BBN, this patient can now be cared for and treated for their bowel cancer.
What was the best part of this course?
SIXTH FORM
WHILE
I returned to education as a mature student after a lifethreatening illness. After completing a Psychology degree I considered pursuing a career in this field but found that my heart was not really in it. After a bit of soul searching, I realised that I have benefited greatly from personal therapy in my own life and the ethos of the person-centred approach resonated greatly with my own values, and what’s more I really enjoy working with people on a oneto-one basis. I was also strongly attracted to a career in counselling and psychotherapy as it necessitates a real commitment to ongoing and lifelong learning and personal development. What was the best part of the course? For me the best part of the course was the people I have had the privilege of meeting and working with. I feel I have really benefited from the experience and support of the teaching staff and guest speakers from the forefront of current research and practice within the person-centred and experiential field. This is an extremely demanding course both academically and emotionally, but I’ve met some fantastic people along the way. STUDIED A POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA IN COUNSELLING PSYCHOTHERAPY WORKING AS A COUNSELLOR AT SOUTH SEFTON COLLEGE
Typically I arrive at the college around 15 minutes before my first client arrives. I use this time to look over any notes I have made on the previous session, make sure I have all the relevant paperwork I need and generally use this time to ground myself. My clients consist of students aged 16-19 and staff members. Clients come from various socio-economic backgrounds with a wide variety of issues. Sessions last 50 minutes with ten minutes in between to write notes and prepare for my next client. Other duties vary from day to day but might include reading relevant research literature, collecting and monitoring statistics, liaising with pastoral staff and general paperwork. Once a month I attend supervision to discuss my client caseload. How has the course prepared you for your current role? This course of study has given me an excellent grounding in contemporary theory and practice and enabled me to develop greatly in terms of both my professional and personal development. It has increased my ability to critically evaluate research and given me a strong appreciation of the value of evidence-based practice. It has also helped me to develop as a self-reflective practitioner by providing a safe and supportive environment in which to explore how my values, culture and personality influence my client work. Most notably, this course has helped me to develop my confidence as an autonomous learner and helped me to increase my confidence in my own abilities. What made you apply for the course at LJMU?
How has this course helped you in your current role?
Why do you feel continuing professional development is so important? Research for cancer is consistently improving so it is essential for nurses to keep up-to-date with new findings. As bowel cancer is one of the more successfully treated cancers, many people are now in remission following taking part in the bowel cancer screening programme and this course ensured I was fully up-to-date with the latest findings and progress in treating bowel cancer.
CPD CASE STUDY CPD CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTEwww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 19CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
What does a typical day in your role involve?
&
SARAH DALTON STUDIED THE BOWEL CANCER SCREENING PRACTITIONER CPD COURSE AT LJMU AND CURRENTLY WORKS AS A SPECIALIST SCREENING PRACTITIONER (SSP) AT MANCHESTER ROYAL INFIRMARY
What made you decide to study this course at LJMU? In order for me to become a specialist in this field I needed to complete a specialist course. My manager had completed this course at Liverpool John Moores University and was very impressed with the course and teaching staff so encouraged me to enrol.
I enjoyed a lecture from Professor Myint who is a Lead Clinician at Clatterbridge Hospital. He discussed the treatment of rectal cancers using contact radiotherapy (papillon). The lecture really opened my eyes to other treatment options that were available as an alternative to surgery.
LINDSEY SAINSBURY
OPPORTUNITIES FOR NURSING STUDENTS TO DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS AND EMPLOYABILITY…
The student mentor support, which is offered to first-year students, begins during their induction week. Student mentors conduct sessions to explain their role and how they can support students during their first year. The student mentors are able to answer questions and offer help and advice around academic issues, practise placement questions or sometimes they are there just to say hi. New students are allocated a student mentor during the first week of their course. Student mentors also offer invaluable support to the university. They are present during university open days and this gives potential students the opportunity to speak to current students about the academic programme, types of placements offered and a chance to see demonstrations in the university’s practice suites. The student mentors gain valuable experience in public speaking, presentation skills, and a chance to share their own knowledge. They also gain that something ‘extra’ for their CV.
The Student Mentoring Service has proven to be incredibly successful and benefits both first-year nursing students and the student mentors themselves.
If you are interested in becoming a student mentor, an email is sent to student nurses at the start of second year. All potential mentors are interviewed for the post. Successful candidates, who are performing well academically, and are excelling on placement are given specialist training by senior student mentors. It is an opportunity that should not be missed!
SCHOOL OF NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 20 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
The Student Mentoring Service (SMS) was established in 2007 at Liverpool John Moores University as an innovative and unique opportunity to provide help and support to first-year nursing students from all fields - Adult, Mental Health and Child.
LJMU offer opportunities for Nursing students to join the Student Mentoring Service (SMS) or become a Student Quality Ambassador (SQA). Phil Rathe, Academic Lead for the SMS and SQA projects for nursing students, explains all ...
The Student Mentoring Service also participates in events in the community. During Stroke Awareness Week, the student mentors provide free blood pressure testing in a variety of public locations. Support is also offered to local charities such as the Vital Sounds Foundation, who offer free cardiac screening to young adults to reduce the number of Sudden Cardiac Arrest in those aged 15-35. These events not only enhance student knowledge and clinical skills, but they also help to educate the public. Furthermore, students can use these as great examples to talk about during job interviews. Through participation in Student Mentoring Service activities, mentors gain and develop a number of skills, which are transferable to all aspects of clinical practice. They are exposed to multi-disciplinary team working at every event. Leadership, communication, time management and collaborative working are all developed. Many student mentors have gained confidence in their own knowledge and in sharing this with others. Many have also gained employment prior to completing their degree programme and this may well be due to the commitment, time and effort, which they give to the Student Mentoring Service.
A new development to the Student Mentor Service is the participation in interview days. During these interview days, the student mentors meet and greet potential students at their interview. It gives potential students the opportunity to ask the mentors questions. A recent development in the recruitment process is that student mentors have also been given training to allow them to participate in the actual interview for PreRegistration Nursing across all fields. This has proven to be a valuable experience for the student mentor, especially when they will soon be attending their own interviews for staff nurse jobs.
“ “ SCHOOL OF NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTEwww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 21CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
A further recommendation which the SQA project was able to meet is, Keogh (2013) “would strongly encourage Directors of Nursing to think about how they can harness the loyalty and innovation of student nurses, who move from ward to ward, so they become ambassadors for their hospital and for promoting innovative nursing practice.”
SQAs joined ‘Quality Walkarounds’ with Directors at Liverpool Heart & Chest Hospital and Mersey Care NHS Trust. The SQAs involved offered ideas from theory and other practice environments and were the ‘fresh eyes’ looking at the clinical environment. SQAs have continued their role by carrying out the ‘15 step challenges’ at Leighton and Aintree hospitals. Both trusts have gained valuable insights from the SQAs where excellent practices have been highlighted and areas where improvements can be made have been discussed. have a desire to enhance the quality of patient care. possess professional honest you get from being a student quality ambassador? of skills to be involved in and develop to network with students across the North West valuable professional connections new people, have fun and drive quality of
The Student Nursing Times Awards celebrates the very best in nurse education, recognises and rewards brilliant educational establishments and honours those who are committed to developing new nursing talent as mentors, lecturers and providers of placements. The awards also pay tribute to students who have demonstrated the academic achievement, clinical prowess and personal qualities that will make them brilliant nurses.
❙ Development
❙ Increased confidence ❙ Opportunities
initiatives ❙ Enhanced CV ❙ Opportunities
“I
attitude What do
❙ Make
the following personal qualities: ❙ Assertive ❙ Confident ❙ Good negotiating skills ❙ Excellent communication skills ❙ Positive and
“ If you
role model ❙ Open and
You should be interested in: ❙ Involvement in quality initiatives in practice and theory ❙ Identifying areas for development and recognising and sharing good practice ❙ Facilitating change when required ❙ Commenting on and enhancing current practice ❙ Working alongside and liaising between practice areas, PEF’s, HEI’s, students, service users/patients/carers and other professionals ❙ Transparency, safety thermometer, patient, staff and the student experience ❙ Change management ❙ Attending workshops and development days with regional SQA’s ❙ Have an interest in all NHS innovations ❙ Supporting other students to champion good practice ❙ Assisting trusts to host student innovation events You should
champion good practice and
How do I become an SQA? As a student quality ambassador (SQA) you should
The Student Quality Ambassador Project was praised by judges for the collaboration of nine North West universities and numerous NHS trusts for their partnership working to utilize healthcare students to share best practice and raise quality care. The SQA project allows for the students’ “voices” to be heard and meets with the recommendations of Keogh (2013) who recognised that the inclusion of students to gain frank and honest opinions on the quality of care in trusts promotes open and honest discussions.
Carmel O’Boyle (BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing / MSc Advanced Healthcare Practice) is a student quality ambassador, student mentor and also won the Student Citizenship Award for her significant contribution to the community. became the chair of the LJMU Student Quality Ambassadors. This has been a fantastic opportunity and has given me an insight into the many different areas of the NHS. It has given me confidence to be the best student nurse I can be. I have presented at conferences, taken part in quality audits and even completed the 3i’s teaching course. This has given me the confidence and skills I will need to progress in my career. I have also helped to manage a team and conduct interviews, working closely with our academic lead. I hope this experience will hone my leadership skills to enable my career development. I was also selected to be a student mentor and I am proud to be a student that others can turn to for help. I was also awarded the LJMU Citizenship Award for my charity work; this was an honour and a proud moment for me and my family. are interested in getting involved with the Student Mentoring Service or becoming a student quality ambassador, please contact Phil Rathe on p.a.rathe@ljmu.ac.uk
healthcare STUDENT QUALITY AMBASSADOR (SQA) SCHEME
❙ Meet
The Student Quality Ambassador Scheme is another initiative student nurses at LJMU can get involved in to further develop their skills and gain valuable experiences. The SQA scheme at LJMU won partnership of the year with Health Education North West in the Student Nursing Times Awards of 2014.
LIA COOPER, ERIN COLLINS (ADULT NURSING) AND AMELIA SULLIVAN (PAEDIATRIC NURSING) ARE STUDENT MENTORS FOR THE SCHOOL OF NURSING. THEY TELL US ABOUT WHY THEY GOT INVOLVED AND HOW IT HAS BENEFITED THEM. THEY WILL ALL BE GRADUATING IN 2019. MENTORING
Amelia- First impressions are crucial, so ensure you are confident and have sufficient knowledge about the role you are applying for. Be able to identify what makes you different to other applicants. Be yourself and if the role does not work out for you, ask for feedback to improve your employability in future.
What do you enjoy most about it and how have you benefited?
Lia - I enjoy every aspect of the role and the opportunities that come with it. It has enabled me to make a greater impression on my mentors when I start a new placement. Being a course rep has also given me opportunities to contribute ideas to the planning for the new building that will have simulation rooms. I have also been asked to help plan the new programme for the nursing apprenticeships. The role of the SQA has developed my engagement with other universities as we try to collectively make the student nurse more educated, developed and supported throughout our training.
What kind of activities and tasks have you been involved in? We get involved with open days, applicant days, college talks, interview days, induction weeks for the new starters and health promotion events such as blood pressure days and cardiovascular screenings. We have also had the opportunity to represent the university at the Student Nursing Times Awards. We support new students by getting in contact with them and address common questions such as; placement documents, recommended books, how to get to placements and what to do on your first day, social activities etc.
Erin – It is such a rewarding role. By participating in open and applicant days I have gained confidence within myself. Presenting in front of large groups has always been daunting, but now I can get up in front of people with the knowledge I have gained and demonstrate skills without hesitating. I never thought it would be possible! I also enjoy the fact that student mentors make up part of the panel for the nursing interviews.
Amelia- I thoroughly enjoy the role as student mentor too and feel it has benefited me in many similar ways. Like Erin, it has helped me to gain confidence when speaking in front of people. This is a really useful skill and will only benefit me in practice as a nurse. Being part of the interviews has also helped me to understand how they work and what I may face when applying for jobs. I have also been able to make new friends with student nurses in other years This means we are able to support each other as well as getting to know the lecturers better. What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability?
Amelia – My reasons are similar to Lia and Erin. I wanted to become a student mentor after the impact these students made on my decision to attend the university. Student mentor services are not available in other universities and the student mentors are valued and are a great support to other students.
STUDENT
SERVICE CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 22 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES CAREERS & EMPLOYABILITY GUIDE www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers CAREER OPTIONS WITH YOUR DEGREE & CASE STUDIES
Erin – I believe a friendly face and first impressions have a huge impact on how successful a person can be. You need to have a positive attitude as this reflects well on the work that you do. Gain as many skills and as much knowledge as you can in regards to your area to help employers choose you rather than other applicants.
Erin – When given the chance to become a student mentor, I thought it was a great opportunity to help to develop more skills such as confidence, communication and it would allow me to build a better relationship with the academic staff that work with us during our course. I am able to support other students with any issues they face and the role has opened up doors and opportunities to get involved with events that I didn’t even realise the university provided!
Lia- Become more self-aware, know your limitations but do not be afraid of being confident. Be reflective, proactive, use your own initiative and manage your time effectively. Also, most importantly, be yourself.
Why did you get involved with the Student Mentoring Service?
Lia – I decided I wanted to become a student mentor on my interview day as they stood out and helped me to feel at ease. I wanted to make the same difference to others who might also be feeling nervous or anxious. I am a course representative and student quality ambassador (SQA). These roles are slightly different. I was chosen by fellow students to become a course rep, and I had to apply for the role of the SQA. All roles I take pride in and ensure that all students are happy, informed of new changes and supported.
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Tell us three things you like about your job: The variety and age range of patients, from cradle to grave The variety in the work from long-term conditions to immunising babies and health promotion Getting to know patients and their families really well and building up strong trusting relationships Three things you are not so keen on: When there is a financial rather than patient focus Dealing with non-clinical staff can be challenging
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AND PRACTICE NURSE FOR A
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I work 50% of the time in a clinical role, assessing new patients and reviewing existing ones. I see patients who are in-patients on the wards and critical care and in out-patients - patients who have been discharged and go on to develop wound problems. I see surgical wounds, skin problems, pressure and moisture damage, and then a variety of existing wounds patients are admitted with, such as diabetic foot ulcers, leg ulcers, and traumatic injuries.
❙ The autonomy the role provides. Opportunities to make a contribution to the organisation and the patients who we care for, to make improvements and see the results. The mix of clinical and non-clinical work.
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WE CHAT TO JULIE TYRER, CONSULTANT TISSUE VIABILITY NURSE AT LIVERPOOL HEART AND CHEST HOSPITAL A CONVERSATION WITH A CONSULTANT TISSUE VIABILITY NURSE SCHOOL OF NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTEwww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 23CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
What does your job role involve?
I also work 50% of my time in a non-clinical role. Nurse Consultant posts differ between organisations but there are some generic roles and responsibilities: leadership (consultancy), expert practice, service development, research and evaluation, and education. I spend this time compiling and delivering teaching packages, planning and implementing local awareness campaigns, audit and research, writing articles for submission to nursing press. I am involved in regional and national groups/ work streams aiming to improve and standardise best practice.
BRADLEY,
PRACTICE NURSE
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Read up about relevant papers like the ten-year plan and the five-year forward view. Have a good understanding of how GPs are funded and how they make their money. Have a good understanding of what the job is, and what a typical day may look like. Sit in with a practice nurse if you can. MAGGI LEAD NURSE FOR AINSDALE ENHANCED TRAINING PRACTICE GP IN WEST LANCASHIRE WITH A
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WE CHAT TO
Three things I’m not so keen on: Targets: I prefer to focus on improvement work, and then changes are likely to follow. Meetings: an efficient, well-led meeting can be very productive, however there are many where my attendance is required and they can be very time consuming.
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SURGERY
❙ The pressures on the current NHS. However, I still feel that nursing is one of the most rewarding jobs there is!
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A CONVERSATION
Terms and conditions not the same for all nurses working in GP Whatsurgeryadvice would you give to students wanting to pursue this career route?
Tell us a little bit about what it’s like being a GP nurse: I see a different person with a different personality every 10 minutes. This means that I look after a wide variety of people from those requiring long-term care to those with a singular need like a smear test. I could also see an entire family travelling to an exotic location who need travel and immunisation advice, or a young person starting out at university who needs an MMR vaccination. No two days are the same and you never know who is going to come through the door next – it’s so exciting! In addition, it’s great to work with some fantastic GPs who have helped me to develop and expand my role. Also, working with non-clinical employees adds an extra dimension which is both challenging and rewarding. It’s a great job which is enriching, diverse and fun!
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Three things I like about my job:
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What advice would you give to students wanting to pursue this career Thereroute?are so many opportunities in nursing but if you feel that you want to specialise and you have an interest in tissue viability, I would recommend showing your interest and being pro-active in your workplace. If there is an opportunity for you to become a link nurse in tissue viability, this can be a good opportunity. You can demonstrate leadership skills, communication skills, teaching and promoting evidence based practice. With or without the link nurse role, you could establish a resource pack for wound management in your clinical area, or a small teaching package. You could identify an area for improvement, share it with your manager and put some ideas together in a proposal. Of course, spending time with a Tissue Viability Nurse can help you decide if this is a route you are interested in following, so I would recommend that. An academic qualification in tissue viability would be needed too. What advice would you give to nursing students to improve their Demonstrateemployability?how you have applied your knowledge and skills in practice. Taking on additional roles such as the link nurse role is very impressive to employers. An awareness of the bigger picture is really important, so have a look at national documents such as the NHS Long Term Plan. Any tops tips for the job application and interview process: For the job application, always try and give an example which relates to each of the items within the person specification. Employers want to hear about your specific examples. The interview: relax, listen to the questions carefully, and take a moment to think before you answer. The panel want you to do well, there will be no trick questions. This is your time to shine and show off your strengths!
MENTOR
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Things I’m not so keen on:
❙ I have to say I absolutely love being at the place I started my career and although the job can be very busy and demanding it is a special place to work and this is my dream job so I can’t complain.
What I wish I’d known when I was a student Thatnurse:you truly can do whatever you want and that you should follow your dream no matter what and that nursing is a fantastic opportunity. You will meet people who will impact on your life greatly in a special and positive way.
I am an Executive Director who is a member of the Trust Board. I provide advice and guidance to the Board on quality-related matters and nursing and I am also responsible for the operational day-to-day running of the trust. I provide professional leadership for nursing and allied health professionals within the trust achieving all national standards, promoting innovation and best practice locally, and representing the trust nationally. I am responsible for setting the strategic direction of nursing which encompasses patient safety, quality governance, risk management, patient experience, nurse training, education and research. I am also responsible for ensuring that there are processes in place for the operational delivery of services that include emergency medicine, medicine and surgery.
A CONVERSATION WITH A CHIEF NURSE SCHOOL OF NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 24 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
Key points in my career development to date: When I achieved my MA in Management and Leadership and was appointed Director of Nursing and Modernisation at The Walton Centre. The ultimate highlight has to be coming back as Chief Nurse at RLBUHT to the place I started my student placements and held my first Staff Nurse post. We understand you have recently introduced the RLB Nurse Badge again at RLBUHT. Tell us a little more about this? I want the very best nurses to choose The Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen Hospital as a place to work with the pride and passion that I had when I started as a student nurse. I want nurses to be proud of their hospital and bring a sense of belonging to their workplace and I want the public to recognise the fantastic work all of our nurses do. I wanted to develop a programme that provided every trained nurse with the skills and competencies they require to deliver the very best safe patient care they can. By implementing the programme and rewarding our nurses with the RLB Nurse title and badge it will hopefully give them the recognition they deserve and symbolise their knowledge and skills to everyone they meet. The programme will also support all of our nurses with regards to nurse
Someone who genuinely has a passion for patient safety and experience, who has enthusiasm and can give examples within their own practice on how they have learnt lessons and made improvements. Someone who is open and honest, knows their own limitations and when to ask for help, and someone who is confident to report incidents and raise any concerns.
❙ I ensure nursing has a voice at the hospital and have the opportunity to work with fantastic nurses to drive initiatives such as The Royal Liverpool Nurse Programme.
Lisa Grant is a former nursing student from Liverpool John Moores University. Lisa is now the Chief Nurse and Chief Operating Officer at the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals (RLBUHT). She was previously Director of Nursing and Modernisation at the Walton Centre from 2011 and has worked in various roles, gaining extensive experience, including at Aintree, Wirral Hospitals and the Christie Hospital. Lisa started her career as a staff nurse at the Royal in 1998. Lisa holds a Diploma in Nursing, Diploma in Management, a Masters in Management and Leadership and an MBA.
Three things I like about my job:
What does your current job involve?
❙ I sometimes have to attend a lot of meetings and therefore miss being out across the clinical areas.
Whatrevalidation.doyou think would make a newlyqualified nurse stand out at an interview? What are you looking for in nurses for the RLBUHT?
❙ I have the ability to support the nursing workforce to provide the very best patient care that we can possibly deliver.
❙ I have the opportunity to go to any clinical area at any time and get to talk to patients and staff.
Three things I’m not so keen on Sticky shoes after a dirty floor in food When a rat jumps out of a rubbish skipproof that bin lids need to be kept closed or rats can get in!
❙ Never be afraid to ask for a question to be repeated or come back to it if you need to. Pause to think of the most appropriate example of a scenario to give – you need to give examples!
Turning up to inspect a business and it’s “Closed on a Monday!”
INTELLIGENCE AND SURVEILLANCE RESEARCH MANAGER, AT LJMU’S PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE A CONVERSATION WITH AN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONER A CONVERSATION WITH A PUBLIC HEALTH STUDENT SCHOOL OF NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTEwww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 25CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
What I wish I’d known when I was a student: To join and take an active part in the local CIEH branch which organises activities and free training and communicates what is happening in the field of environmental health. I would have volunteered as a student representative had I known. This can assist the student population in ‘having a say’.
❙ Be enthusiastic about doing whatever is required, being able to embrace changes and be happy to maintain personal development.
that time I had learned a lot about public health and have become pretty certain that I wanted to continue a career in the field of public health research. In 2013 I was offered the opportunity to study on the Masters course by our acting director and filled in the application form the very next day!
What made you apply for this course at LJMU?
❙ Know your stuff! Have knowledge of what is current in the company you want to join. If it is a private company, check to see what they offer and the scope of their business. If it’s a local authority, check to see what environmental/ public health issues they have.
knowledge and stories of what I have found in food premises. Stories about rats, cockroaches and dealing with some difficult people!
Key points in my career development to date: Qualifying as an examiner in 1997 for CIEH and having carried out many interviews since Qualifying as an EHO in 1993 but then qualifying as an Environmental Health Practitioner in 2008, and having worked as a district officer, EHO consultant, and a service manager in food safety and health and safety Being able to train people in what I feel passionate about having gained my teaching certificate in 2001. Also now helping interview final-year students at LJMU!
What do you think would make an EHP stand out at an interview?
What helped you get to where you are today?
Food safety and health and safety are part of our daily life, which is as important in our own homes as in a commercial setting - we can all learn from better knowledge and we can all relate to it.
The people! I really cannot thank the teaching team enough for the enthusiasm, encouragement and support they give to students on the course (and I am not just saying that because they work down the corridor from me!). I’ve also had the opportunity to hear from a whole range of guest speakers who have a wealth of practical public health experience and who have been honest about not just the positives but also the difficulties experienced by those working in public health. And finally, the students on the course are from such a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences and the opportunities for discussion during the course have helped me learn from my course mates as much as from the formal teaching. VANESSA WARDLE, CIEH CYMRU WALES REGIONAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER, ABOUT HER ROLE JANE HARRIS,
WE CHAT TO
I volunteered to help at my local environmental health department and was the first female student EHO. I also undertook work experience in a local cheese factory. This came with good offerings of cheese on a Friday!
❙ Try to relax and be yourself. You also need to ‘sell yourself’. Everyone has unique skills to demonstrate so explain how these skills can be of benefit to the department or employer.
course helping you in your current Therole?course has helped me in numerous ways. When I first began to work at the Institute, I was transferring the skills I had gained from another branch of social sciences to the field of public health, but now I feel that I have a greater understanding of the way in which public health has grown as a discipline, and this helped me to question and change the way I work on a day-to-day basis. As a researcher, I have also tended to stay within certain specialisms but the course has given me the opportunity to both develop my own research interests and look at new and wider public health issues that I had not considered before and I use this new knowledge to inform my work. Lastly, the course has given me the opportunity to study with and learn from clinicians, practitioners and commissioners in public health and gaining their perspective has given me invaluable lessons about the way our work is delivered and received.
What is the best thing about this course?
WE CHAT TO
Although I have worked at the Centre for a number of years, I did not have a background in public health. My first degree is in geography and I really wanted to formalise everything I had learnt whilst working at PHI. I felt that I had a lot of practical experience having been involved in a wide range of research projects during my time at the Institute but I wanted to increase my understanding of the history and theory behind public health as a Howdiscipline.isthis
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