Daniela is a third year BSc Children's Nursing student.
How did you develop an interest in Children’s Nursing and why did you choose to study this?
I developed an interest in children’s nursing because of my love for children and biology. I enjoyed biology at GCSE and A-levels, especially when it came to anatomy or medical related topics and wanted to continue my learning in that area.
Furthermore, working well with children came naturally to me and I was excited about making an impact on the lives of children.
Seeing the impact that nursing care had on people around me and even meeting influential nurses influenced my aspiration.
Why did you choose to study at City?
I chose to study at City because I loved the student-focused culture. It was mostly the little details, like the way they valued the environment, clean campus areas, the modern facilities and learning equipment and provision of equal learning opportunities and resources to students.
The staff working on my course were also delightful to meet, kind, and keen to learn about their students.
What has been a highlight on the course for yourself?
The highlight of my course has been getting the opportunity to work in different hospitals in London, gain new learning experiences by meeting professionals and peers at every placement, while also getting to develop my knowledge in topics that I was interested in.
Have you participated in any extracurricular activities at City? For example, being a student rep, taking part in any student union societies, volunteering.
I participated in extracurricular activities with my cathsoc, where we visited lovely pilgrimage sites in Aylesford, Walsingham, did volunteering and even had inter-cathsoc activities like boat parties!
I really enjoyed these activities as they provided opportunities to find and meet like-minded people and have fun!
Could you tell us about your placement?
Placement has been a fantastic learning experience for me, although it had its challenges. I was able to learn from the best nurses.
During my placement at Homerton Hospital I was able to develop and grow in confidence while also having the opportunity to develop my communication skills which were poor before commencing placement.
My placement has helped me gather experience to show what I'm interested in, highlight my strengths, and reveal the challenges that I need to work on. This has helped me to also find solutions to problems and develop the skills I need to progress in my nursing career.
What are you most looking forward to during the rest of your time at City, University of London?
Consolidation of learning and completing and publishing my dissertation, then properly thanking all the members of staff and students at city that have made my time there lovely.
What would be your advice to anyone considering studying Children’s Nursing?
Be confident in your abilities, remind yourself of the reason for your choice. Ask questions and most of all have fun!
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