Carly is an alumna of BSc (Hons) Mental Health Nursing, graduating in 2021. She now works as a Ward Sister and Band 6 Mental Health Nurse, based at The Mount in Leeds. In this blog, she talks through how her course helped get her to where she is today.

Course: BSc (Hons) Mental Health Nursing

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you’ve been doing since you graduated?

Hi there, my name is Carly, and I am a mental health nurse. I originally moved to Leeds six years ago (long time ago!), to study Mental Health Nursing at Leeds Beckett University. Since qualifying in 2021 during the pandemic, I have been able to uphold a Ward Sister position on an acute elderly inpatient setting. 

I have a passion for working with patients who have difficulties with their mental health and have emotional dysregulation making everyday tasks hard to complete. There is nothing more fulfilling than seeing a patient acutely unwell being admitted to hospital at their most vulnerable points and seeing them being discharged when they are well - it is truly inspiring. 

Tell us a bit more about your current role and why it’s amazing?

My day-to-day role varies. I am a ward sister, a practice assessor/educational lead, and I am also the end-of-life lead on my ward. I work with a lot of patients who have a variety of mental health illnesses, and various backgrounds which has led them into my service. I predominately work with ladies who are over 65. I work with ladies who have what is classified as ‘functional’ illnesses. This relates to illnesses which are caused from something happening to you or having a personal experience. We periodically have ladies who have ‘organic’ illnesses such as dementia or Alzheimer’s. 

The Ward I currently work on is situated within The Mount in Leeds, and it is a hospital for patients over the age of 65. There is a lot of stigmatisations towards The Mount, and I think this is in relation to working with elderly patients, but I can assure you... the students who come to visit never leave. I was once the third year nursing student, working bank on my ward, and I never left. Three years later, ready to revalidate, and I’m still here.

How did your course at Leeds Beckett help you get to where you are today? 

I am from Stoke on Trent originally, and the consideration of moving to Leeds was a significant change for me. However, as soon as I stepped into the campus and I saw other potential colleagues, I knew it was the one for me. The course team were extremely supportive, especially through personal experiences and personal events, ensuring that my training was not put on hold. 

The course allowed me to progress further and become that nurse that I did not once think I could be. The collaborative working and the communication from the staff at the university really helped me to progress to where I am today.

What support or opportunities did you receive at Leeds Beckett that have helped shaped your career?

My course was split into two separate sections - academic work and placements. The placements allowed me to explore how and what type of job I will be going into. I was able to become exposed to the more clinically acute settings, but I was also able to see patients in their home when they were doing well. The placement variety allowed me to access all the right skills, attributes and experiences to become the nurse I am today.

Can you tell us about a project, piece of work or experience from university that you’re proud of?

One piece of work which I am proud of was the completion of my dissertation. My dissertation came at a time where I was having personal issues at home, and I truly felt like giving up. I had a bereavement, and a relationship break down, and I did not feel like the end was near. So, to be able to sit here now, three years on, with an honour’s degree is a MASSIVE achievement. 

Life gets in the way sometimes, but it is always important to prioritise those things which are important to you. I wrote my dissertation on dementia care, and whether mental health nurses had adequate care in supporting those with dementia – at this point, my ward were experiencing an increase in organic patients, and I was noticing the gap between knowledge and expertise. This dissertation allowed me to highlight some areas of development should we need to support dementia patients again.

What would you say to someone considering studying your course?

If I was to advise somebody who was about to start my course, I would say go for it. The course can be challenging, and it can be a lot of hard work, but it is definitely worth it when you’re running a ward. Hard work pays off, and those who want to look after patients who are ill will not feel like the degree is a chore!

What’s next for you?

That’s a difficult question. I am currently the student lead for my practice area, and I’d love nothing more to go back to university as a link nurse to support those coming into placement and practice. I also have a passion for end-of-life care, and this is hopefully an area which I am going to work in once my time is up looking after my Grandmas! But for now, I’ll be sticking with my Grandmas and making cups of teas! (Because yes, us nurses make cuppas too!).