From Learning Disability Nurse to Health Visitor: Navigating Career Paths in Nursing
Date 22 November 2023
Lauretta Ofulue tells us about what becoming a learning disability nurse means to her, and her post-UON life and career as a health visitor
I will forever remain grateful to the University of Northampton for helping me actualise my dream of becoming a Learning Disability (LD) nurse. The University programme prepared me for the challenges of supporting clients daily. All the time spent constructing evidence-based essays now finally makes perfect sense. The academic skills of questioning, researching, writing and ensuring that interactions with patients are safe and effective means that I am very conscious of underpinning my practice with well researched processes. I imagine that all nurses have this experience irrespective of their university, but the level of expectations set by UON when I studied was very high. Therefore, when I am asked to write reports, update daily notes or create care plans to support clients, I don’t experience any anxiety.
What it means to be an learning disability nurse
Becoming an LD nurse has opened doors for me. My career took a different trajectory. Just as I was completing my course, I came across an advert for a specialist community public health nurse (SCPHN) – health visitor working in the community. I wondered if I would be accepted because I was an LD nurse straight from university. While I recognised that the main criteria was my nursing registration, I was very conscious of the usual notion that being an LD nurse can be a disadvantage. Despite not agreeing with the notion, it was always an “elephant in the room” when students discussed.
In theory, LD nurses are needed in all aspects of care. The job description suggested that the SCPHN will support parents and their children aged 0-5 years. It was open to all fields of nursing. The aspect about caring for children was nearly distracting and I caught myself thinking that child nurses may be advantaged. However, as an advocate for LD nurses, I imagined that some parents or children may have additional needs, therefore, in my mind, there was a case for an LD nurse specialised with tuning into their needs to help support parents and their young children. It became a no-brainer instantly and I decided to put my theory to the test. After my application and interview, I landed the role as a trainee Specialist community public health nurse (SCPHN)- health visitor.
My nursing career path
Sometimes, I feel like a cheat, having skipped working on the wards. However, to become a SCPHN, I automatically plunged myself compulsorily back into academics. I had to undertake additional training for a year alongside my role. Hence, the first year after becoming a LD nurse, I was back at university for my post graduate diploma in SCPHN. I chose to return to UON despite being offered a place at a different university. I did not make the decision lightly. The calm and relaxed learning atmosphere I enjoyed during my LD nurse training was unrivalled. I was used to the IT systems and processes, friendly and approachable academic and non- academic team. I was used to the librarians and support staff. I realised quickly that the additional year would be challenging and wanted to experience that challenge in a familiar and trustworthy space. I was not disappointed. UON delivered a fantastic learning experience for me, and I qualified in December 2021.
Health visitor and community nurse
Becoming a health visitor (HV) has been the most rewarding experience for me. It also demystified the notion that somehow being a LD nurse is a disadvantage for one’s career. LD nurses can work anywhere they set their hearts on within nursing. They may need to study extra like I did, but so did everyone in my class from other fields of nursing, including midwives. A new post may have new challenges but that also means perhaps new training and extra support, so don’t be put off. People with LDs depend on brave LD nurses to push boundaries and put themselves forward for different posts. It does not matter that many LD nurses are not in the post you have your eyes on. If you are willing to make the sacrifice and learn you will add one extra LD nurse to that role.
As a HV, I find myself able to tune in to the needs of parents and their children. I have the privilege of supporting early interventions for children who may be showing early signs of autism along with colleagues. I am also able to undertake a variety of assessments to support with the diagnostic processes alongside colleagues from multi agency teams. When children are at risk of harm, I can advocate for their parents to ensure that their needs are adequately assessed to give them the best chance of parenting their children safely.
Anything I’d do differently?
No way! I was a carer to my late son Otito for four years and experienced the value of having an LD nurse in his care in the hospital towards the end of his life. We did not have an LD nurse supporting us in the community and that adversely affected my son. I now have the privilege of giving that gift back directly to parents in the comfort of their homes. I have also had the privilege of proving that LD nurses can impactfully work anywhere and make the difference they wish to make with their careers. We all come into nursing with different intentions and being able to practice in an area you desire is the cherry on the top. I believe that I have that and so I have everything I wished for in the memory of my boy, thanks to UON.
What’s next for me?
Well, I hope to complete my dissertation for my Masters Award. I am focusing on how health visitors can support bereaved parents with young children. It is a topic close to my heart as you can imagine. I hope to be involved with transforming bereavement care for families within the community especially when there are additional needs (parents or children). I am interested in advocating for additional provision to support the behaviours of children with early signs of developmental delays, autism and ADHD through play and intensive parental support in the local trust. I am also interested in writing more blogs like these to encourage students and qualified nurses to keep up the good work!
Find out more about the University of Northampton’s Nursing and Midwifery courses.
Lauretta Ofulue qualified as a learning disability nurse in 2020 and won the Student nursing times award as the Learning disability student nurse of the year 2020. She now works as a Health Visitor in the local NHS trust. She is involved in supporting families and strengthening their capacity to care for their children. She works alongside colleagues to keep children and families safe.