UNISON Ulearn Northern Ireland

I got five GCSEs and wanted to do nursing, but didn’t have any science subjects. I was too young to be accepted so I went to College and did another three GCSEs – Human Biology, Sociology and Child Development. I decided to apply to London to do the nursing and in the meantime started working in the Trust through a job scheme as a nursing assistant. Once I started earning, it was difficult to then go to study with a bursary. I decide to stay here, but looking back now I should have gone for it.

I was working in the neurology department and had the chance to learn about telemedicine on the job. This was a new speciality and I got the opportunity to go to Australia to work on it over there for six months. I had to take unpaid leave, but it was such a fantastic learning experience. When I came back I was even more determined to do my nursing and applied for Queens in 2002 and I got accepted. But I couldn’t afford to take up the place, I looked at every possibility, doing bank work, living at home and travelling, but I just couldn’t figure out a way of making it work. I was so annoyed that I was throwing away another opportunity. I went ahead here and did my NVQ 3 and got my grade B.

I felt stuck again, because I couldn’t go any further. When I heard about UNISON promoting the K100, it seemed like another chance. I was apprehensive because this is a proper academic course – I wasn’t sure if I’d be able for it. But there was a chance that it could lead to nursing, that was the real hook. Friends of mine in Tyrone & Fermanagh hospital had already started the Open University mental health nursing pre-reg course, so I knew a bit about it. Even so it took me a while to get into it, but once I did I’d say I’ve got the real bug for learning. Every topic is different and I could relate it to my job role. It’s made me think about things that I’d never considered before, about how issues impact on people differently. We looked at gatekeepers to the health service, the politics behind it, the red tape, the different responsibilities managers and practitioners have. Generally I think the course has made me a more compassionate person, less judgemental.

The assignments are tough, there is one practically every month, which means a lot of effort when you are working five or six days per week. There’s a lot of reading, but the materials are excellent. It takes 2-3 assignments to get into the pattern of learning and you get more confident with each assignment. The comments are supportive and aimed to help you with the next topic, and you can clarify with the tutor how to progress. It’s a big commitment but it’s only ten months of my life and I know that UNISON is lobbying hard for a fast track nursing programme. So I’m hoping that this is finally me on the road.

Footnote
Sinead Gormley successfully completed her K100, went on to get her Essential Skills Numeracy and gained a place on the OU Pre-reg Nursing programme which she started in February 2007.