“It’s not just about washing people’s bums!” An Adult Nurse gives her take on the profession.

Originally, I didn’t want to become a nurse. I didn’t put the fancy dress costume on as a three-year old and then magically decide I wanted to be a nurse from there on in. It wasn’t for me. I simply didn’t think about it and no one in my family was a nurse.

When I went to university for my first degree, I read geography. So, at least I can fold a map and always orient myself north!

During that first degree, I was at a party with a friend who was doing her nursing education and she said she thought I’d really enjoy being a nurse. My first response was “I’m not going to wash people’s bums for a living!” because that was my first thought about what the profession involved.

I did a bit of research to see what went into nursing and I thought “you know, this speaks to me”. I liked the idea of the interaction with people, and that you can make a difference – that’s really important.

Whilst I can’t deny that there has been some washing of bums during my career, there is so much more to being a nurse.

And the fact that I like people – you need to really like people to be a nurse. I also found out that I have a fondness for treating slightly cranky little old ladies, who are my favourite patients, I think they’re wonderful. They seem so frail but are actually slightly indestructible and stubborn because this hip injury isn’t going to get them down.

I think nursing is such a trust profession because we’re so ‘close to the action’. You see people at their best and at their worst. You’re with them at very private and intimate moments, so if you’re not trusted when you’re doing that, it doesn’t work. When someone is ill, everything is heightened, your emotions are, you feel very sensitive, so being there during that time makes us trusted. We are there for people.

Nurses, more than any profession, are by the bedside, 24 hours a day…fewer nurses would be catastrophic for the health of this country. Less of them means they’re not providing the care, they’re not making the decisions, they’re not leading that minute-by-minute care that patients need. That’s, frankly, dangerous. We’ve had evidence for some time now that a good level of graduate nurses, with a good skill mix, means improved patient outcomes. It’s that simple.

At UON, we’ve got a passionate team of enthusiastic professionals. Most of us have been here for a few years, so the teamwork we have and the effort we put into the programme is exceptional, as well as making students feel welcome. We do our very best to make all our students feel supported during their time with us.

For more, tune into Win’s podcast.

Win Hughes, Senior Lecturer in Advanced Nursing

Win Hughes has worked at the University of Northampton since 2005. Prior to this, she worked in the emergency department, so cared for a huge variety of patients. Win has also worked in cardio-thoracics at Harefield.