I started working in healthcare when I was just 17. After leaving sixth year, I didn’t feel quite ready for university, so I applied for a job as a Care Support Worker (CSW) at a local nursing home back in 2003. I wanted to find out if working in healthcare was really for me. Thankfully, I loved it. I ended up staying for a year full time, and even continued working there part-time while studying nursing at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen. That early experience gave me such valuable practical skills alongside my formal training.
It was my mum that inspired me to go into nursing in the first place. She’s a retired primary school teacher and one of the most hardworking and practical people I know. I always saw her helping others, whether it was being a good neighbour, volunteering, or even making jam to raise money for local charities. She once told me she thought I’d make a good nurse, and I believed her. I’d always been interested in science at school, and the idea of combining that with helping people just made sense.
Fast forward to now, I’m training as a Nurse Endoscopist, focusing on colonoscopy, which involves examining the large bowel with a camera. I work across several NHS Lothian sites to build my experience and improve my scope handling skills before I can practise independently.
Being an Endoscopist is a fast paced and efficient environment to work in. In many cases I can perform the examination and either diagnose, treat where possible, or refer patients on to the appropriate service in one visit. Having the ability to reassure patients that nothing serious has been found, or removing a pre-malignant polyp on the day as a preventative measure is a very rewarding part of my job.
Of course, many of our patients are nervous. A colonoscopy is an invasive test, and it’s natural for people to feel apprehensive or embarrassed. When someone tells me after their procedure that it wasn’t as bad as they feared, I know I’ve done my job, not just clinically, but in helping them feel comfortable and cared for. That’s what nursing is all about.
If I could give any advice to someone just starting out in nursing, it would be to find a mentor. Look for someone whose qualities you admire, whether they’re a nurse or a doctor, and learn from them. If they’re compassionate, patient, and generous with their knowledge, try to be the same. And don’t forget to smile! A cheerful, positive attitude goes a long way with patients and colleagues alike.
