^{This is the story of a Neurodivergent Student Nurse.}

Wow I can’t believe how quick 3 years flew by. I have been a Registered nurse for 11 months now-almost a year!! Woow!

This means it’s has been a year since I finished my Student nurse Journey. I started taking time to write this reflective piece about my Student Nurse Journey a while back but just haven’t got round to posting it.

This blog reflects on my experiences, achievements and highlights during my 3 years as a student nurse.

It is fair to say that it was some journey! ☺️ I knew that the journey would either make, or break me and I am soooooo glad that I rose to the challenge and it absolutely made me! In fact this journey taught me a lot about myself and the world around me.

So let’s take a look at this journey! I started my student nurse journey in 2020 during the height of Covid-19, which feels both like just 5 minutes ago and a life time ago. 😂 Although I had amazing experiences, it wasn’t all plain sailing. I experienced some pretty challenging and traumatic experiences (which I will share to some extent), however the challenging times did not stop me, it developed me and I am equally grateful for the difficult times (as hard and as painful as they were at the time).

Course Work: My first year cruised by so quickly. I passed everything first time and surprisingly passed with a distinction. 😦 🥰 This was a huge surprise to me because I was so worried that I would struggle with the science module and the safe medicate maths exam, but I totally surprised my wee neurodivergent brain and achieved the creme de la creme of grades! This made me determined to do the same in my second year and again in my 3rd year! I have to say though I really did work my socks off! I was a total geek, studying pretty much 24/7, striving to perfect each bit of work I undertook as you would expect ! 🫣

I found study strategies that worked for me and had many all nighters, because as many neurodivergent people will know we have to work 10 times harder to work to the same level as a neuro-typical person, but during this journey I had the best study buddies a girl could ask for 🥰

While I was gliding through my coursework and learning the trade I took on other extra projects. I have always been known by family and friends to have created projects for myself, which I now know to be a result of having ADHD. I was diagnosis with ADHD and Autism during my 2nd year of my nurse training after the loss of my beloved pupper girls Star and Carina who were a huge part of my life. I have a lot of grattitude and love for my pupper girls and they supported me immensely during the time they were with me, and miss them everyday.

Let me share a bit about the projects I undertook during my studies.

Chlo’s Nursing Journey Blog – In the first year of my nurse training I expanded the blog that I created during my Digital Marketing MSc and started writing about my student nurse journey. This formed the little “Nursing Journey” section of my website. On here I wrote about my placement experiences, my experiences of the theory modulesI did and other experiences I had during my nurse training. I did this to promote the nursing course at my university (RGU) and to offer an insight to current, and future nursing students about what they could expect from nursing placements and the nursing modules at Robert Gordon University.

Given the current retention and attrition rates within nursing I was hopeful that the blogs might contribute to attracting people into the nursing profession. In fact speaking of attracting people into nursing, NHS Grampian invited me to present to school leavers about a career in nursing while I was in my 3rd year at their NHS Grampian careers event. Following this, the RCN also invited me to present at their careers day event about being a neurodivergent nurse. They were both excellent opportunities to be involved with. The students that attended seemed so keen to get the grades to apply for nursing which was wonderful to see!

Chlo Jacks Nursing Journey Podcast– As well as my blog I put my digital skills and my new passion for nursing together to create “Chlo Jacks Nursing Journey Podcast”. I had the absolute honour to interview many nurse leaders and specialist nurses; such as my very own parents 😊, my Universities previous Head Of School; Professor Susan Dawkes, who is also Chair of the Council of Deans; Prof Amanda Croft and Prof Alex McMahon both whom were Chief Nursing Officers for Scotland.

The purpose of my podcast was to offer inspiration and new learning to nursing students, newly registered nurses and those who may be interested in thinking about joining the profession. The podcast episodes covered experiences, potential routes, and progressions of current nursing professionals.

I created 3 podcast series. This comprised of: Nurse Leaders, Adult Nursing Specialities and Children’s Nursing Specialities. I loved hearing about everyones unique nursing journey and their advice for student nurses and newly qualified nurses! All journeys were very inspiring, but I have to say that I really did enjoyed interviewing Dame Angela Horsley and Professor Alan Glasper, and of course Vanessa Smith my first perioperative nurse idol.

I had many great experiences following the podcast interviews. One opportunity that comes to mind following my interview with Dame Angela Horsely and professor Glasper was being invited to join them in an interviewing film project that they had organised with a university in England. I was grateful to be invited to help with this project. I was also extremely honoured by Professor Glasper generosity in sending me his latest authored nursing book following our interview. 📚

Being appointed Student Committee Seat holder for Scotland 

This takes me nicely onto one of my biggest most proudest highlights of my student nurse journey. I was so honoured to be appointed a representative for Scottish Nursing Students for 2 years. This was a massive highlight in my nursing journey. 🥹 This highlight honestly means a huge amount to me! I had some of the most incredible experiences with RCN Scotland, and with RCN UK and I am soooo honoured to have been apart of shaping the future for student nurses and registered nurses during this role, along side my fellow nursing student colleagues and the RCN staff.

Being apart of the student committee filled my heart with so much warmth. I met the most amazing nurses from all walks of life and made some forever friends. I love(d) being apart of this nursing family. ❤️

Whats it like being on the student committee?

While in my role as RCN Student Committee seat holder for Scotland. I also had the pleasure of contributing to some work along side Professor McMahon and MSP’s in relation to student nurse finance. I had the pleasure of meeting Professor McMahon while interviewing him on my podcast, and again in person at my university’s special nursing event in my role as RGU Student Ambassador and at the RCN Congress events.

I also enjoyed working along side incredible nurse leaders such as Pat Cullen, Collin Poolmen, Aileen Mckenna, Julie Lamberth, Nicky Ashby, Rachael Wood, the Council of Deans, NES and the NMC. When I wrote that letter in my 2nd week of first year I did not imagine any of this!!

RCN Scotland were extremely welcoming and I loved working with Sian and Emma and the rest of the Scottish team, and of course my fellow Scottish Student Committee buddies Robert, Lou and Sam. I enjoyed representing the RCN and encouraging students to join as members, particularly through university events and solo presentations. In fact my mantra for encouraging students to join the RCN has not stopped- I encourage all student nurses that I meet to sign up for an RCN student membership for “just 84p” a month! 😀

London headquarters were also very welcoming and I enjoyed attending the committee meetings at RCN HQ in London.

I made the most of my trip to London with my mum.

Within the Student committee I was involved in contributing to promoting the fair pay campaign. I took it upon myself to record a special episode to promote a Fair Pay Agenda for change campaign with Julie and Alisha, and I took some time to write a blog to get the word out about the importance of fair pay and how nurses could act on it.

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One of the other major topics that I was involved with during my post was the improvement of student finance hardship! The results from this survey were staggering!

I was very honoured to have had the opportunity to speak on STV news on behalf of nursing students about the rapid decline in the number of student nurse places being filled within Scottish universities, and I wrote a blog to contribute to the work being done to attract more interest in nursing. Sadly it doesn’t seem that the shortfall in nursing has made much improvement since it was first reported because the shortfall is reported again and again. We need to do even more to attract people into nursing!!! I talk about this in a nursing standards article.

Supernumary status was another massive project that I enjoyed being involved with nationally with the whole of the Students committee. Lou and I represented all student at the 2022 Congress as seconders for a student nurse agenda item that was submitted by Greater Glasgow branch.

RCN Congress- Wow I love RCN Congress! Congress is probably one of my fave highlights of being apart of the student committee. It’s such an inspirational event. The buzz is unreal, the goosebumps that congress creates it’s just magical 🤩

I attended congress twice. The first time was extra special though! It was the catalyst for much of my work around neurodiversity! Let me explain.

On the day I was due to travel to congress I had had the worst ever placement shift in my entire student nurse journey! My placement had been challenging my reasonable adjustments that I had in place for my dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia but to my absolute despair this placement failed me in a midway because I took extra time and used a calculator when learning drug calculations (which was one of my reasonable adjustments I used to maintain patient safety). I was there to learn new things! Their decision to fail me was beyond me, because I had demonstrated that I could do the drug calculations just fine with my reasonable adjustments in place. I achieved 100 percent in the drug calculations worksheet they gave me and I took my time to work out the dose during practical examples. I also reasured the placement that I had passed my safe medicate exam too. I am not ashamed to admit that there were some calculations I was not familiar with at first because it was the first time I had worked with children’s doses/medications as this was my very first experience of a children placement so I needed some time to learn this. I passed the placement with pure grit and determination to prove myself. Upon reflection of this difficult time it appeared that they were not prepared to alter their teaching or be patient of my learning needs prior to initiating the involvement of practice educators. Behaviours and comments towards me demonstrated inequality towards my neurodivergence and little understanding of me and my differences was evident. It was obvious I didn’t fit in to this placement area.

I remember getting on the train for congress and leaving my dad at the platform on the day they had failed me in my midway. I just sat on the train and sobbed. I woke up the next morning and sobbed. It was all so raw. I was mortified that I had failed a midway (a student who had working her socks of, been getting straight A’s in her academic work, was following the correct protocol, using reasonable adjustments that I was entitled to use and who was getting great feedback from other staff nurses and patients and cruised all other placements had failed a midway for using a calculator and taking their time! Madness!

That week at congress I surprised myself immensely. I had no intentions of going up to speak on the podium, but out of nowhere I decided to go up and speak out. I shared that I had faced inequality recently and I pleaded with PA’s and PS’s to be kind and paitent with neurodivergent student nurses and from there on I made a promise to do everything I could to raise awareness and support neurodivergent student nurses and registered nurses. From this moment on it formed all the work that have been doing and will continue to do for neurodivergent nurses.

This demonstrates that despite how painful this placement experience was, a fire was ignited in my belly to dig deep and turn this painful experience into a strong and meaningful change for others.

5. Nursing society and raising money. I was part of the RGU nursing society for a short while. During this time I enjoyed planning a virtual sponsored walk called STN big 10 to raise funds for equipment for the schools skills centre and British heart foundation. Read more here.

8.Founded SUNN

I founded SUNN, now known as SUNNO and CO. SUNNO & Co is a neuro-inclusive space on the internet designed to bring all neurodivergent health care workers together through similar experiences. The network facilitates closed sessions for ND health care workers to connect and learn about themselves, and events and information on the website and podcast for everyone to see and develop their knowledge in neurodiversity.

9. Favorite Placement– Dr Grays and theatres! Both surgical placements, and also ICU

RGU Student ambassador

I had the pleasure of representing RGU as a student ambassador.

I contributed to some different work across the university and the school which I enjoyed.

Aberdeen nurse wants YOU for neurodiverse choir

Towards the end of my nursing journey I set up a neuro-inclusive choir which has been going strong since.

10. As well as writing my blogs I enjoyed writing little Articles for the nursing times, RCN, the Nursing Standard and for some book chapters.

Graduation was bitter sweet as my Granny passed away just a few days before my Graduation.

I am proud to have achieved my Nursing Degree but I am ultra proud to have achieved top grades while doing all the extra circular activities and projects at the same time… What a journey, and to top it all off I was so humbled to have won RCN Scotland Student Nurse of the Year 🥹 I couldn’t do half the things I do without the nurture and encouragement of my mum and dad. They are my world and my inspiration. ❤️

What an awesome journey it was! There is honestly so many more amazing experiences I have enjoyed and I am so fortunate to have had during my student nurse journey, but it has taken long enough just to get round to writing/posting this blog. I now need to start writing an NGN one now! 😂

Heres to a long career in nursing and continuing to make a difference to people ❤️

Until next time! Ta-ra! 😊✨