Niamh Weldon: Student Nurse to Newly Qualified – Tips, Transitions & Confidence

In this episode, we sit down with outgoing Year 3 Nursing student Niamh Weldon, who shares her journey through the programme, offers practical tips for current students, and reflects on what it truly means to be a student nurse on a professional degree.

We also explore life beyond qualification—what comes next, and how to navigate the uncertainty that often accompanies big transitions. This is an open and honest conversation packed with insights and advice to help both students and professionals make the most of their experience and move forward with confidence.

Transcript

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Welcome to the self-care and wellbeing space. In this episode, we sit down with outgoing Year 3 nursing student Neve Weldon, who shares her journey through the programme, offering practical tips for current students and reflects on what it truly means to be a student nurse on a professional degree. We also explore life beyond qualification, what comes next, and how to navigate the uncertainty that often comes and accompanies big transitions. This is an open and honest conversation packed with insights and advice to help both students and professionals make the most of their experience and move forward with confidence. We hope you enjoy it. Welcome Neave. It's absolutely amazing to have you on our self-care and wellbeing space podcast today. It's me, Rachel Bacon, and me, Catherine Midgley. And we've got the lovely uh Neve, who is one of our third year student nurses, who is now finishing the final week of a programme. Yeah. And it's so grateful to have you on because I know time's precious, and you have literally just come from saying you're packing up your accommodation. This is real, this is real. And what we want our listeners to get from you today is the fact that you have lived through this, and having a student voice on here is absolutely uh beneficial, and I know you've got lots to say. So I think just starting off really about tell us a little bit about yourself. Yeah, well, thank you for having me. This is such an exciting project to do. Um, but yeah, as I said, I'm Niiv. I'm a final year nursing student. I finished my last shift yesterday, so I'm fully finished now. I wish you could see the smiles that are going around the room because it's such an achievement, isn't it? It's a massive achievement, so I'm feeling very, very proud at the moment. It should be. But yeah, it's been a long three years, but the most rewarding three years I think I've ever had, um, which makes this ending very, very bittersweet at the moment. Said you had some tears yesterday when you finished plays. Yeah, left the ward, couldn't stop. But I think genuinely it was horrendous. Um, I was on the tram, people must have thought I was really, really strange. Um it shows that actually it meant quite a lot in finishing something I don't really want to do, because I want to say. Yeah. Tell us a little bit more about that. Why does it feel bittersweet? I think if you speak to any other student, placement's hard, it's very full-on, we've got a lot of assignments, it's a very demanding course compared to other university courses. Um, so the fact that it's come to an end is a bit of a hurrah. Thank goodness we don't have to do any more essays for now. Um but it's just been the people I've met through it at uni outside of the course on placement has been they've just all been so lovely and they've really shaped me as a person. It feels quite sad leaving that all behind because everyone's moving off to different places in the country or even different countries. So yeah, it's sad to leave it all behind, but it's very relieving that it's done and that the hard work has now paid off. And a big transition. Yeah. So going now, you all you've known for three years is being a student nurse, and now you're transitioning into something completely new. So you're going to be again outside of your comfort zone, and yeah, don't know if you want to tell everyone where where the next part of your journey is going to take you. Yeah, so I'm off to Southampton in September to do graduate entry medicine, um, which is really exciting, and that's been hard work as well, applications and exams for that whilst doing this course. But I think that's what's so nice about this course is how unique everyone's journeys are in it, and how the job opportunities after are limitless, um, and you're not kind of confined to just ward nursing or just community nursing. There's so many different avenues of nursing you can go down, which I feel really lucky that I get to keep that, and I've got a job doing that as well, whilst doing my extra adventure, which is really nice because that's kind of what I love. I love being with the patients. Clinical role as well, yeah. And it's a really brave step to kind of jump out of the profession as well in many ways, but still keeping your foot in, yeah. Um, which I think is so interesting and so diverse, and just shows you that that limitless idea, um, and also well done for doing it because I think that's a big step in itself, and we've talked before, I think, um, about the idea of doing what scares you, and how actually some great stuff will come from that, and I think we'd love to see how your journey goes over the sort of coming years to see how scary it is and see how you are because also knowing you for the last three years like it hasn't been easy, has it? The course hasn't been easy. There's been moments where you know we've been sat in rooms having meetings, and you just look exhausted and like make this better, make this okay. And you've really like doing that despite everything and thriving on that has been really what has been the fuel for this for you, and I think it's just been amazing. So I think the entire course, every step of the way, is out of your comfort zone, every new placement you go on. I think as nursing students, and I know midwifery students feel this as well, you're constantly the new person everywhere you go, so you're always having to make really good first impressions, really put the graft in and overcome those really awkward, horrible moments of those first introductions where you're always out of your comfort zone in specialties that you have no idea about and you're learning as you go. So I think that's one thing that this course has fully instilled in me that I didn't have before is kind of getting comfortable with being that uncomfortable and the really good things that come out of it. And I mean just leaving the ward yesterday kind of tied it all up with a little bow for me. Like that was terrifying, but you do it and you really enjoy it, and you have a massive impact on the people around you when you do it. How have you found ways and Niamh of kind of digging deep despite feeling uncomfortable? If you could have you got any sort of idea or any ways that have worked for you that you could perhaps share, like you know, that first, oh my goodness, I don't want to go feeling. Yeah. How have you maybe overcome that or what have you done? I think the first part is you have to do it. I think you have to really get your head around, like it it might be awkward, it might not be. I think before I go on to any placement, I kind of sit down with myself and I'm like, okay, this is where you're going. Find out where you're going first. It could be awkward, but just like mentally prepare myself for going in. Say hi, I'm Neve, I'm the student nurse that's going to be joining you. Doesn't matter what reception you get, you have to put yourself out there, and it's they're it's in their hands for the same. You don't know how they're gonna respond to you, and I think that's often where we start that sort of storytelling of and I might not be able to get my break, and then I might not know where the Lou is or there, and then it kind of spirals, doesn't it? Yeah, actually keeping in the here and now, where am I actually going and what have I actually got to do? Yeah, keep it simple, yeah. I used to plan what I was gonna say, like I thought this little script trying to go, right? This is what I'm gonna say, I'm gonna get to reception and say who I'm looking for. And I kind of still do that now, but the more you keep pushing yourself to do it, the less scary it gets. Um and how much have you grown? So, like, how much have you grown from that first ever year and that first ever place when everything was new, and you've now grown so much, and yes, you're gonna need them skills when you go on to your next journey, but you have developed so many skills to take forward. And I think because the way the world's programmed at the moment is we're constantly looking forward to the next thing, the next job, the next place, and it was only really until this placement where I stopped and I looked back over the three years, because we had a few first year students on our ward, and kind of putting myself back into that place in time, like wow, I really have come so far, and yeah, you get to milestones, you pass first year, you pass second year. Um, and you just don't realise actually what that means, not just for your clinical skills, your knowledge, kind of how you are on the ward, but your own values and how some change, some don't, some develop. Like I came straight out of school, I wasn't even 18 when I first came to Nottingham for the offer holder day. I'm still a proper baby, I'm not even 21 yet. Um, but but you do change, and kind of looking back and seeing how I've grown from that kind of new adult to now, it's amazing, and it's quite exciting to see how far that's going to go in the next three years. So and I think it's hard for me to remember back to being 21, but trusting the process. So I always think I want to be like when I was a student, you look at people that are more experienced than you or older than you, and you sort of have role modelling and aspiring to be like them. Um, but you've got to trust in your own journey, like you would never have thought in the first year that you would now be the person that you are now, um, and I think that's what um a healthcare professional course well, any learning really does for you because you grow so much, um, and that reflection that you said um I think is really really important because we started off by saying that it it has been bittersweet and it's been um challenging at times, but giving chance to have that reflection and really take the positivity from how much you've grown. There's a a very well-known thing that we the bad stuff you remember really well, the good stuff we don't give enough emphasis for, we don't dwell like in the fact that we got an amazing mark, or we did really well, or we just got a really nice send-off from the placement. So bask in the moments, I think, celebrate those things, definitely no matter how big or small they are. Um, and in that process, that rough and the smooth, I think you're right. The brain doesn't it, it has that negative bias. We focus on the negative, we see it in everyday life, don't we, all the time? And you know, the negativity is often the biggest critic in ourselves, but also in others, and actually, like thinking about balancing that and how you need to learn or begin to understand the importance of balancing that is a win, and that's something in itself, isn't it? So have you always felt positive or have you had your up and down days? I'm sure Catherine can tell you a lot about that. Confidential. There's been plenty of down days, and I think I could sit here and probably list every single down day I've had because I remember them really clearly. Um but I think it's a complete mindset shift, and it's only really happened half half this year, pretty much since January, that kind of change in looking at the positives, and also not beating yourself up for looking at the negatives as well. I think there's we we do grow through doing that, don't we? A hundred percent. And I think I used to so something negative would happen, and I would sit with it, and then I'd think about it more, and then it would consume me for that day, and then it would consume me for the next day, and it would just get worse and worse and worse until I've completely lost sight of any anything else around me. And it wasn't until I stopped myself in that process and thought, right, what are we doing here? This isn't beneficial. You've reflected on what's bad, what bad has happened, you've grown from it. If there isn't a way to change it, there isn't a way to change it, and there's nothing I can do about that. Um it's really like I don't know, it's easier said than done. Yeah, and it's that idea of kind of letting go, isn't it? Again, you know, that it's not that easy to let go, and actually there's always fine margins as healthcare professional students, as uh with you know, reflection versus renumeration. Like, where does that line come in? Because we encourage we're encouraged all the time professionally to reflect, look back on what we've learned, how what would we do differently next time? Where do we stop our brains kind of going crazy with that? Where do we where do and I think it's using what we the the sort of um structures that we have and using the forums right and using your peers and actually saying this is going round in my head, um, you know, let me talk to you about it. Let me can I can I offload? Can I get this off my chest? And I feel like there's a caveat to that, especially with students at the moment, is that sometimes this negativity can come like a bit of an echo chamber. So you start talking to people about how you're feeling, which is fantastic, but it's also kind of switching on enough to realise when it's just surrounding yourself with more negativity. I think finding the people that you can speak to is one of the most important things, and has been the most important thing, I think, for me at uni. Having people on your course, like your course mates that you can speak to, having the right structures within the university to speak to, but also outside of uni, not cutting yourself off from everyone else, even if their course is a bit different or if they're not at uni, still staying really connected to those kind of people because even though they're not in the situation and understand the course you're doing as a whole, in a way that's their strength because they are disconnected from it, and you can get so much perspective from them, which is really refreshing, rather than just constantly speaking about the bad things and placement and the stress of uni with your peers. I think it's nice just to have that outlook as well. And that distance, yeah. Then that's often all we need, isn't it? That little bit of distance to see that perspective. I guess it's just knowing when you need that distance, which is really tricky. Yeah, it's really tricky. It is really tricky. Um, and you know, knowing Neave, like you are you have had some really you know, it has been like up and down, up and down, up and down, but there is always a common theme with Neve that she has always had good placements, or she's always there's a common denominator that she has a positive, balanced outlook and has taken opportunities really well, and I think that's a really good point for everyone listening to kind of take on board, like go in with an open mind, don't let your mind run away. Go in and look at each day as all those opportunities rather than getting caught up in the loop of what's everyone else saying, what's everyone else's attitude, how is everyone else behaving? Because I think what you've been very good at, whether you realise it or not, is taking that step back and then treating as you found and having those opportunities there and seeing things as opportunities rather than trouble some kind of um obstacles. I think the easy example of that is like placements, you don't know where you're gonna be put, you don't really get a choice over where you're gonna be put. Um, and it might not be the area that you want or the specialty you're that interested in. But the amount of times I've turned up at a placement, I'm thinking, oh, this isn't for me. I've left thinking either wow, that's amazing, I've learned so much, or brilliant, I've learned that this isn't for me still. And I was right at the start. But that's mindset, Tony. That's having that positive mindset of taking every opportunity as a learning opportunity, um, even if you know it's not suited for you. And um, Catherine alluded to that. That I think when you start to look at yourself um and what you can change about yourself, because you there's so much you can't control, there's so much uncertainty. But the one thing that you can is your mindset towards things and trying to have that positive mindset, even when things don't necessarily go your way, or things feel a little bit unjust, or a little bit unfair, or really, really troublesome, is trying to make the best out of the situation because there's normally some good in every situation, it's just sometimes hard to see it, and it's hard to see it when you're already feeling bogged down and you're already feeling a little bit like you're lacking resilience and you're feeling a bit burnt out, and um and there's lots of distractions often that are in our way to stop us from seeing them, and it comes back a bit to that blue sky idea. I remember talking to you um at one point about blue sky and how it's always there, but we often can't see it, and I think that's Neve's blue sky has always been there, she just couldn't always see it, yeah. Um, which has been you said something switched like halfway through the year. Now, is that because the end was nigh? Or was I I'm just interested to see. Um, have you got any sort of take on self-care, well-being, mindfulness? Is that anything that you've actually practiced yourself? You've got any ideas about it? I think mindfulness is so different with everyone. I think that's one thing. Like some people say, run a hot bath. I hate baths, I get really too it's too much, I can't do it. Or it's like go for a run, which is something at the start I thought, no, I'm not doing that. That I'm too unfit. But actually, kind of trying different things and trying things that you think, okay, it might not work, let's give it a go, might actually end up being the best self-care you could find, even if you don't like that one thing that you're trying, just finding out that that's not what self-care is for you, I think is brilliant. It's been trial and error with me from the start of uni and even before. Um, because I think self-care is such a big buzzword that's everyone says it at the moment, and I was like, okay, yep, bit of self-care, self-care in the evening. I didn't know what that meant, and I was doing all these things, and I'm like, why am I not feeling relaxed? I'm not winding down at all, and I was just like high octane constantly trying to find what worked. Um, so I think just trying new things and figuring out what works best for you, not kind of going through social media trying to copy what's an ex fad, yeah. Yeah, exactly, what the self-care trend of the month is, which I think is so common amongst young people at the moment. I'm seeing all the time. It's like oversaturation, isn't it? You can't see the wood for the trees because you're meant to be doing or trying too hard to do self-care. And I think that's what I was doing, just trying too hard to relax, and that will never relax anyone. When we're trying to go to sleep, we all know that when we're trying to sleep, that's probably about the worst trying to sleep is the hardest thing, it will the thing that will stop you sleeping, isn't it? Actually, like just relaxing and not trying sometimes is the is the best thing. It becomes another job, yeah. Put it on your to-do list and like I haven't got enough, it's it's another thing that you can potentially feel guilty about. Yeah, and that I've not done this and I'm not living up to social stereotypes. But have you found something for you? I think you've always had a bit of balance, haven't you? I'm not putting words in your mouth, but in terms of doing fun things, so lots of your hobbies have uh things that have taken you away from nursing as a field, or you know, um, and you've kept up with your things like trampolining and things like that that have a really kind of fun team element to them, even though they're quite individual. I think I've always I thrive off talking to other people, I love being with other people. I think that for me is more relaxing than sitting in my own thoughts. And I've realised that joining societies outside of the course or organising just to go for a coffee with a few people, that for me is perfect, that's all I need. If I have a bad week, just one catch-up and I'm fine. Um but for some people that's not that's more that's more to their plate. And one thing I do, I used to write on my to-do list, I used to have a massive to-do list, block it out hour by hour, and it always used to be like self-care in the evening, unwind. And I've stopped doing that now. I've stopped doing because it obviously was never gonna work, so I really make sure now that I still plan my days to the hour. That hasn't stopped, but I always make sure that I stop at a certain point in the day. Like, if I've got all of that done, I can do whatever I want. So I don't think space and time is actually the self-care that you need. Exactly, and whatever I choose to do in that time, but that is self-care for me. It's not okay, I need to do another thing that can wait for tomorrow. I think it's that's been a massive thing, it's just planning my day and telling myself when to stop, because otherwise I just won't, I'll just keep going. And I think you know, your nurse training, your healthcare training, it's endless, and it is, you're right, it's the next thing and the next thing and the next thing all the time. It's not until maybe it is an element of seeing the end in sight, maybe there's an element of looking, you know, we do need to look forward to a certain degree, otherwise we would be in chaos, but also then being able to sort of get to grips with the balance of looking forward, but also capturing what you've done and what you've seen and what you've learned about yourself that has kind of enabled you to get that fine tune in. But you know, things like your to-do list, we love to-do lists, don't we? Like they're great, but when things start to become the to-do list and it's dictating things, then you recognize it sounds like you really recognise that and was like, right, okay, no, so actually don't tame the beast, just let that let that brain do what it needs to do in that online time. Don't force yourself onto a sun lounger at the spa to just relax because that might not be the case, that might not happen, yeah, you know, for the sake of self-care. But there is um it sounds like you've got a lot of self-awareness, and I think planning that time in is maybe something really valuable for other people to take on board, and they might do their own things and um have different ways of doing it. But for anybody that feels overwhelmed or is starting to feel burnt out, I think one of the first things to go is that awareness of that you need to stop and take a bit of time, whatever it is, because you. You we call it the tumbleweed effect or the roller coaster, and you get on that roller coaster and it just keeps going and going and going, um, and you forget to stop. Um, and that's when things can deteriorate quite quickly. And we do see that um within our student population, and maybe you've seen that in some of your cohort where people have started to get burnt out, and you can start off trying to plan things in, but when you've got deadlines um and you've got lots of commitments, what gives? And that for me is necessary. Looking after yourself is the easiest thing to let go, or we don't even realise we've let it go. One day you wake up and you think, Whoa, I've not stopped. Yeah. So did you see that among your co- or with pretty much everyone and myself, it's really, really common and it's always sad to see because it also happens at different times for everyone across the course. Um, but you do have those moments where it's 3 am in the library, you're still a thousand words from your assignment being done, and you're thinking, This just isn't good, I've got another assignment due. And I think at that point you're so far gone, you're so into that spiral, that's when you need to kind of reach out and have those support systems in place ready. I think that I can't stress that enough is establishing those networks at the beginning before anything happens. And we're always told this at the start of uni as well, is have that ready because you never know when you're gonna need it. Um and I think just checking in with your friends as well. I think all the time it's like what's going on is placement too much because I live with other nurses as well. It's just constantly checking in and just thinking a little bit beyond yourself in moments like that and thinking what's going on with everyone else. And I think that really grounded me, thinking like all these assignments are awful, I'm never gonna be able to get this done. People are in the same boat, and you can kind of use each other to get yourself out of it, and you do get to the end of it, and it does get done. Um use the university networks that you've got, use the extensions if you need them and you require them. I think that's fine. I think we need to not feel guilty with putting those ECs in and things like that. We need to just keep using whatever's given to us because that doesn't make us weaker as people. I think that's what a lot of people feel at the moment. Like you're advising for an exam that everyone else is finding easy, but you're finding hard, but that's okay, like that's absolutely fine. I think it's just knowing that everyone's got their own strengths, and people will be spiralling at different points for different reasons, and just knowing you will get to the end of it, but you do need people, you can't just do it by yourself. I think I always find them conversations, be it personal ones within a group or maybe on um uh WhatsApp or social media, is that you can instantly spiral when the narrative is that everyone's finding something easy or everyone's finding something hard, and you and well me personally, I always instinctively think, Well, I'm doing something wrong. What's wrong with the default? Yeah, so I do think there's there's safety in that group and that peer support, and that is so valuable, but there's also an acknowledgement that you're all on your own journey, yeah. Um, and what you what you're just saying there is that you'll all get there, and you the only comparison that you need is against yourself, not uh against other people, because it's your lane, it's your race. Um, and I think when you do start to spiral and think, well, why aren't I doing what they're doing, and and they seem to be doing better at that, that can become quite negative in itself. Yeah. I think recognising within your peers that you are all experiencing things at similar points is really valuable, yeah, and you're not the only one to feel that way. That I that idea in our self-care of you there's you know, someone else will have felt this before and you are not alone is really important. Um prioritising that and allowing that to give you the distance you need, yet not taking everybody else's burden on is really important too. And I think you've alluded, Rachel, there to perhaps what we were kind of kind of gonna naturally evolve a little bit into the comparison trap you've started to talk a little bit about there. Yeah, um, and I think that's a really interesting thing that we were gonna kind of explore a bit with you, particularly in how it feels as a student's students about to qualify. The inevitable kind of comparison that happens amongst you all. Yeah. Um, we I mean, I'd like to think that we don't compare, but we all do. It's a kind of human instinct, isn't it? Definitely. Um, how have you kind of found that? How have you found that balance of kind of awareness to that? Or how have you found tell us more about that? It's quite a big topic because I think if I looked at myself in first year, comparing myself to everyone people have come onto this course from previous backgrounds in healthcare. I think I had a few weeks of work experience in a care home compared to someone who's been an HCA for years and actually knows the ins and outs of the running of award. I remember on my first placement, I thought, oh my gosh, they're so much better than me. And they were at that moment in time, they they knew it, and you know what? That's where I learned so much because I found that comparison and thought, okay, I want to be like them, that's fine. I think that's where it can be positive. Where it can be negative is when I can turn around and say, Well, she's better than me, so I'm just gonna sit and do nothing on this placement and twiddle my thumbs because she's got it. Um, she's clearly winning the whole placement over compared to me, who they're having to take time to teach and things like that. That's when it can get really negative. And it I think comparison can be healthy at times. I think it can be really motivating, and I think it can be really, really positive if used safely. But it happens far too much where someone's got a better grade or someone's got more of this, they've got a really good social life outside of uni, they've found really good balance, I don't. And it's kind of coming back to the I don't bit rather than kind of understanding okay, is that what I want? Do I want to have a better work-life balance? It does it come from kind of a place of jealousy, like they look like they've got it all clued up, so that's what I want to do. They probably don't have it all clued up, they they don't have it all sorted, it just looks like that. And I think those comparisons are dangerous when you're basing it off what you're perceiving others to be rather than actually what is going on. I don't know if that's makes sense, but it totally makes sense, and I think um you know, when we start to fall into that trap of comparison, there's a quote, isn't there? And uh comparison is a thief to joy. If it starts to impact your ability to recognise your own self and what you're able to do, then it's blurred into that line of not being a motivator, hasn't it? Yeah, really off topic, but really interesting. In a in a study, they gave um a group of primary school children a sweet and they're all excited and happy and loving it, and then they gave the other group two sweets, and they the the original group them crying because they've compared that my sweets no longer good enough because they've got two sweets, and that really really resonates with me of how we are all are in life. Well, not all of my children to an upset. One of them two sweets and one of them one. Oh my goodness, but that's the other sweet. That's the comparison trap, and that's really interesting to raise that. And I think just staying in your own lane, being true to yourself, um, is difficult to do in this world, but probably a really valuable lesson. Well, finding ways of doing that because of the distractions that are going on constantly because of the comparisons, keeping back to those feet on the ground moments and those little wins is a good sort of way of recognising it, isn't it? I think it's just kind of setting your own goals aside from everyone else. Like obviously, everyone wants to pass their assignments and do well on placement, I don't know, but setting your own goals before all of that happens. So when you finish an assignment, kind of think, have I done that to the best of my ability? Kind of what do I feel would be good here? Because as soon as those results come out, everyone's messaging at 10 o'clock, what did you get, guys? What's going on? Who did well? And I'm like, actually, I saved myself from any of that stress on the day because I thought, okay, well, I've done better than I thought I would do, so it's fine. Just because someone's got higher than me, that might have been what they wanted, it's not what I wanted. And I think kind of separating your own like self-worth from those percentages on days like that is so important. Like, I just don't think we should be saying, Oh, you're the best person ever because you've got 78%. Like, no, that's not gonna it's really there's so much more beyond a number, isn't there? And that comparison between your own self-worth and numbers, I think, needs to be scrapped ASAP because it is also I think easier to join in the conversation if you've all got that negative not easier to join in, but if you're all negative, oh I did rubbish and it unites you, isn't it? Yeah, I did rubbish, I didn't do very well, I didn't. And what about if you are that person that did do well? I feel like sometimes you can't actually then sort of celebrate that because there's this, oh I need to sort of Oh, it's okay for you, you got 80%. Yeah, you need to sort of join in. I mean, um that's surmising. That's quite lowly sometimes, isn't it? Yeah, I think. It's definitely happened with me on some assignments. I'm very much exam-based. I love it. Also some placements as well, getting on well with placement. And just as soon as you see someone else, as soon as someone says, Oh, what did you get? I got this, and you know in that situation you have done better than them, you kind of you don't want them to feel bad as well. And it's kind of finding that balance of, well, I got this, what did you it's it's a horrible, it's a horrible situation to be in. But I think just saying I'm happy with my result, that's that's something that me and my friend, my friendship group, there's some people that love saying what percentage they got, and there's some there's someone I know from the start of the year who will never say what percentage you got. I don't know any result that she's ever had, and I love that bit of our friendship because all we say on results day is are you happy? Yeah, brilliant, and that's all it is, and it's so refreshing to have those kind of friends as well, and I think everyone should kind of move towards that if you're happy with your result. It doesn't matter what number you got, what someone else got, you're happy with it. That's a really good lesson to learn, and this word happy as well is about you measuring yourself against your own standards that you feel happy, not having to measure yourself against other people in that context. So I think your own barometer, in a way, you know, and it doesn't have to be happy happy, it can be I'm cool with that, I'm okay with that, that's fine. Yeah, that's right. Um obviously, there's lots of things that go on during the course of nursing course, healthcare courses, um, probably a tendency when you're looking after others to particularly in placement and things like that, to maybe keep hyper prioritizing that. How have you kind of seen that in action? Like things like placement fatigue, placement burnout. How have you kind of what's been your experience of that? How have you kind of supported yourself in that? Have you seen that in others? Like, is there anything sort of we could explore a bit more about that with you? Any ideas you could share with anyone? Burnout is really tricky because it can creep up on you when you don't expect it. I think that's one thing that I've really learned, kind of moments in time where I thought I'd burn out and I didn't, but other times where I did straight away without even realising, has been really interesting. I think with our year group, especially, because we're out on placement a lot, because we've got loads of assignments, so we're not in uni as much. It's really hard to see when people start withdrawing, and I think that's one of the biggest signs I've found for seeing when people are getting burnt out because you don't have the energy to go out in the evening and see people, you don't have some people don't even have the energy to come into uni when they should do because they are just so burnt out. You've just finished a placement block and then you're straight back into theory. It's so hard. Um, and it's hard to know are they just not coming to uni because they've got something else going on at home, or are they just really stuck at the moment and in a rut? It's it's really tricky to kind of find out, and I think that's where kind of developing those relationships early and understanding people and just checking in at kind of pinch points in the course where you know where they are is really really helpful, and I know a lot of my friends have done that, and it's and doing it authentically with each other as well, so getting to know each other and not pretending you're okay at the start if you're not okay. I was going to say, are people open? Like sometimes these are quite personal feelings. We talked about that comparison. How difficult is it for somebody to say, I'm the one that's struggling? Um, and maybe having conversations of like they want to quit. Yeah, I think a lot of people, and it's it's quite sad to think about it, but a lot of people do question whether this course is right for them, and I I definitely did throughout these three years. There's definitely moments where I'm like, is this for me? Like, am I doing well enough? Like, is this the right choice that I'm making? Is this who I want to be? When I yeah, exactly. I think also university is a massive sacrifice. I know a lot of my peers who have got young families that they're supporting, and it is a big sacrifice, and it's a lot of time and it is a lot of money. And when you're in those moments where you can't really see the light at the end of the tunnel, you do ask yourself those quite serious questions of should I be here? Um, and I think just knowing that if you're on this course, you deserve to be here. You wouldn't be accepted into this uni if they didn't think that you could do this course. And I think trusting the process, I think it's very well planned out and a very good course to be on, and trusting each step of the way, and just having those conversations with your personal tutors or with your lecturers or whoever you go to at uni. Um, because I think if you start on picking why you feel like you want to drop out, then you get if you come to the end of it and think actually this just isn't for me, that is fine. I think knowing when to stop and when to kind of draw the line, not just with the course but with on placement and with assignments, like when to just stop, I think it's really important. I think having those conversations shouldn't be a shameful thing because the outcome of it is either going to be actually I don't want to leave this course, it's very suited to me, but there's other problems I need to kind of sort through, or it's not for you, and you do go on to other journeys and other adventures. And I think we need to keep having those conversations and have them more openly in the hope that if we do start doing that, then the people who are stuck in the ruts and just quit without speaking kind of feel like they can speak a little bit more. So I don't know, maybe we could hold on to those people that quit for the wrong reasons and just help people feel more supported in that sense. Or if they do, if it isn't for them that they leave being the person that they want to be and not feeling like something's changed or what they want as a result is kind of coming out of it, which is Yeah, and it's okay to be in whichever phase or stage you're in, but just kind of being able to be authentic with that and and and kind of going with your support is is really important. And it's not easy, is it? At the start, everyone looks like they've got loads of friends, everyone looks like they know each other, all of that's really tricky. Yeah. Um so I think that's something that you start to build and trusting that process. I c I c heard that from you when you came and spoke to our second years a week or so ago, wasn't it? Saying trust the process, like there's a reason why things are the way they are, and as much as at the moment you might be in that questioning stage, like it will all come to fruition if you put the work in, and I think that's yourself, your academic work, your placement that will all pay. Yeah, um, and it's like a healthcare course is difficult, and obviously being friends with other people from different courses, I get I guess you see that a little bit more. Yeah, I think I found that really, really isolating in first year because the only people I had really were on my course. I didn't get on with anyone in my accommodation, really. I j I just didn't find anyone that kind of matched me. I've got two friends from first year that are my friends now, but outside of the course I had no one, and I thought, okay, so I'll just be friends with nurses. And then second year came along and I started joining societies, had a little bit more confidence, and that's what changed it for me. There's definitely times where I thought, you've finished uni already, I've still got two months to go. And again, it's that comparison thing of like, okay, and there is a real sense of justice that this sometimes doesn't feel very fair, but hundred percent, hundred percent, I'm like, how have you finished? And it's things like if I'm on placement, I can't go to as many training sessions and things like that. But just having something outside of it and outside of the uni course is great, and I really recommend it to anyone. And being a healthcare student is tricky, but it's also so so so so so rewarding. Like, I feel quite smug that I've finished now, yes, later than everyone else, but I feel quite happy I came out of my placement yesterday in floods of tears because it just showed that it meant so much to me, and I know some people haven't had that, so I'm like, well, it is worth it if you put the graft in, it really is worth it, and you come out with such great job prospects as well. It I really just keep going with it. I think that's all I can say with the whole comparing to other uni courses, and the growth is wholesome, isn't it? It's you know, it really is wholesome, and what I'm interested to to know is like it's been a journey, it's had its ups and downs. We've talked about burnout, we've talked about the impact. It's how then going forward into your new journey, your new career, is what have you learned? What are your transferable skills to sort of keep you the best possible chance of success? Gosh, I don't even know where to start with that one. Um I think for me, just knowing how everyone is so different, it's so eye-opening just being on the wards and being in so many different placement settings, meeting different families, and just understanding that everyone's experiencing life for the first time, just because I'm going to a different city, a new place, that doesn't matter to me at the moment because I've been the new girl on every single placement and I've learnt how to put myself out there. I've learned how to really listen to people, which I think is the foundations for so many good relationships, that being kind of personal relationships or therapeutic relationships, kind of in the healthcare setting. Just learning how to properly listen, I think is one thing that I've really, really learned. I think I was awful in first year. I'll just talk and talk and talk and talk. And I mean, I still do that now, there's still no stopping that. But just no, let's embrace that. Exactly. But also like giving people the space to do that as well, if that's not them, kind of learning how to empower others. I think is one thing that this course has been amazing at teaching me. Like just knowing that everyone is really special in their own ways and just helping them find that no matter what situation you're in, we see people on the worst days of their life, and just finding those little things in common or things like that, just to I don't know, just making or those small moments of comfort will will really see you through. Yeah. Yeah, and I just think that's what this course has definitely instilled in me that I did not have before, and I didn't have the self-awareness that I had before. I feel like okay, you don't have to go through hard times to kind of realise how strong you are, but I feel like sometimes you do, and that's definitely what this course has taught me. I didn't realise I had that resilience in me that I've had to show, and I think just taking that forward every step of the way, knowing that it'll be fine if it's not fine, and you are strong, it'll be okay. Yeah, yeah. You've definitely got the resilience, and what is lovely to see, Neve, is that you're finishing and you've got so such a sparkle in your eye, you've got so much enthusiasm, you have definitely shown and demonstrated that growth, even though you say that it's not been easy. Um, and that's what I think you're taking forward is all that energy, all that knowledge, um, your enthusiasm for the next steps, um, and going into it just with a whole lot of um anticipation for the next for the next challenge, an opportunity. So we've not so we've not completely burnt you out, which is not completely. I'm alright. But it's so lovely to see, um, and that we know that you'll go on and and I'm sure you'll smash it on your next part of your journey. Our last because we're always aware of time, and you've got a a big drive to go back and do, so we're so grateful for you to come in and speak to us. But we're gonna ask so one um Chloe has said to us, um, she thought it'd be a really lovely idea that we'd ask everyone the same question. Yeah. So we're gonna ask you the same question. What would you tell a younger version of yourself? So that what we what would what would yeah, what would you say to us? I think I don't know. How young are we talking? Are we talking first year or even younger? Well, say you're at the start of yours yeah, uh as an early adult, you know, as a student, you just started. So if you were one of our first years starting in September, what would you say? What would you say to that version of yourself? I would say never underestimate how strong you can be in situations. The course is hard, life will throw things at you as well outside the course, but everyone, I think everyone's got a little bit of grit in them if they find it. I think if I told myself that in first year, I'd be a lot more relaxed and stress-free. But yeah, that's probably what I'd say. Okay. Oh, that's lovely. Yeah. So thank you so much for taking the time to come and speak to us. We really wish you well for the rest of your journey. And you have always have an open seat here with us to come and talk to us about all all of your adventures and whatever else is going on. So thank you so much. Thank you so much for having me. Thank you.