For as long as I could remember I wanted to be a nurse, my mum and sister were nurses and as a child I spent hours bandaging my teddy and dolls. I was a very shy and quiet child (and still am in certain situations!) so having a job that involved really talking and getting to know people was not really one I had initially intended and I did ‘go off’ nursing for a little while.
One person changed that though and made me believe that I could really do it. I will never forget the day my brother-in law rang me to say the hospital he worked at (Rampton) was pilotting a new training scheme, students were employed by Rampton and did some training there but the majority was to be at Nottingham.
I had spent so much time with my sister and brother in law as a child and teenager and although I didn’t get to see exactly what his job entailed, as I had ‘grown’ up around mental health hospitals (they lived in the hospital staff communities, at both Middlewood and Rampton and I so loved visiting) I found the whole mental health thing really fascinating.
My initial reaction was one of fear, how could I possibly do what he did? but he encouraged me every step of the way and I have to say I have adored my career in mental health. There have been times when I have struggled with not my job, but the systems around it. I have felt honoured to have been invited into people’s lives at their most difficult times and have met some amazing people along the way.
Without that phone call I am not sure I would be where I am today, so thank you Jack for being my inspiration.
