Navigating Nursing

In this episode Laura speaks with Professor John Unsworth, Chair of The Queen’s Nursing Institute and Professor of Nursing at Northumbria University. John talks through his varied career, particularly his passion for Community nursing and his time as one of the first Nurse Consultants. He speaks about his role as Chair of The Queen's Nursing Institute and dispels any myths around newly qualified nurses and community nursing. He gives advice for nurses wishing to study at Masters and PhD level and outlines why he thinks it is vital for nurses to establish their 'sense of purpose' prior to applying for any jobs.

In this episode Laura speaks with Antonia Philp who is a Paediatric Transplant nurse Specialist and Co- founder of Nursem. They discuss Antonia's first job as a newly qualified nurse in Royal Manchester Children's hospital on a Medical ward and her interest in Cardiac.

They discuss Antonia's career move to Cardiothoracic Paediatric Intensive Care Unit in the Newcastle Freeman Hospital, burn out and her current role as a Sister and a Paediatric Transplant Specialist nurse.

Antonia talks about why she started the business and her role as Co- Founder of Nursem. She outlines the brands ethos and the "Nursem promise", that for every produce sold Nursem provide a nurse of midwives with a months supply of products. They have supplied over 135,000 nurses and midwives with a months worth of hand cream to date. Antonia also discusses her recent revalidation and the importance of recording your continuing professional development in order to make the process slightly easier.

In this episode Laura is joined by Emma Senyard, the Director of Education for the Royal London Hospital, former Deputy Director of Nursing substantively at Newham University Hospital who has been seconded since March 2020 to Royal London Hospital to lead on critical care expansion in response to the Covid- 19 pandemic. She has also led the wellbeing work for 1st surge in the Critical Care units and has also worked closely with an external coach from Harvard University.

Emma was previously the Associate Director of Nursing for surgery at Royal London Hospital from April 2016 to August 2019. Laura and Emma discuss her communications degree, her career to date and the challenges she has faced in the past year.

Emma gives advice for newly- qualified nurses and students on career progression and the benefit of applying and doing a rotation in different clinical areas. She outlines her career plans for the future and her goal of becoming a career/ leadership Coach with her currently studying a coaching qualification at the Institute of leadership and management.

In this episode Laura meets with Wendy Iles, an Advanced Nurse Practitioner and Clinical lead Primary Care Workforce and Training Hub (Calderdale, North Kirklees and Greater Huddersfield). They discuss her transition from working in the Emergency Department to Practice Nursing.

Wendy discusses her passion for nurses pushing boundaries and her time as a principle in a General Practice Surgery with two other Advanced Nurse Practioners.

Wendy is now a Clinical Lead for a training hub. She facilitates and supports training to the current and future primary care workforce – encouraging increasing placements of undergraduate nurses within primary care, introducing new roles into the multi-disciplinary team , encouraging retention of the current workforce and supporting primary care as a place to work.

In the second episode of series 2 Laura meets with Vikki Howarth. they discuss her career to date and her current role as Lead Nurse for Critical Care Outreach at North Middlesex Hospital.

Vikki is also the Trust Clinical Lead for Organ Donation and she outlines her passion for organ donation which began whilst working in Intensive care. She gives advice for anyone working in a leadership position and how as nurses we should not be put off by applying for roles traditional done by doctors.

In the first episode of the new Leadership in Nursing series Laura Whitehead talks with Nicki Credland. Nicki is the Chair of the British Association of Critical Care Nurses and is a Senior Lecturer and Head of Department at the University of Hull. Nicki gives advice of anyone wishing to take on a leadership role and outlines her career to date. Nicki gives an insight into her work with the BACCN and how this has been impacted by COVID-19. Nicki has also taken on the role as lead critical care nurse educator for the Nightingale Harrogate and she discusses the challenges she faced during this year.

Series 2 on Navigating Nursing is out on the 5th March 2021. In the Leadership series I interview nurses in a variety of leadership positions, working in academia, for charities, in hospitals and trade unions. The nurses outline their careers to date, their academic qualifications, their current role and discuss any challenges they have faced. They give advice for any nurses wishing to work in a leadership position and career advice for student nurses. The podcast is available via the link and is now on iTunes and Spotify, Please follow @navigatingnursing on Instagram and @Laurawhitehead on Twitter for more information.

In the finale of series 1 of Navigating Nursing Laura chats with Lucy Burt, a ward manager at a Marie Curie hospice. They discuss her time studying at Sheffield Hallam, her move to London and her time at Guys and St Thomas' Foundation Trusts. She gives advice for anyone wanting to work in Oncology, Palliative care and hospice nursing. She discusses her move back home and her new role as a ward manager at a Marie Curie hospice.

In this episode Laura welcomes Suzanne Everett, a Sexual Health Nurse Practitioner, Senior Lecturer at Middlesex university and author. They discuss her nurse and midwifery training, the importance of learning from academic 'failures' and knowing your learning style.

She gives advice for any nurses, midwives or students wishing to work in sexual health. Su outlines how she published her first article and provides advice for anyone wishing to become a published author. Su gives an insight into her academic qualifications, including: her midwifery training, her counselling course, BSc in Psychology, her Masters and her current studies as a doctorate student.

For further information please visit @navigatingnursing on Instagram and @LauraWh56878961 or @LauraWhitehead on Twitter .

Trigger warning- this podcast discusses trauma, sexual trauma counselling and abortion.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in the podcast please access support on:

• National Rape Crisis services Rape Crisis South London: 0808 802 9999 (12:00-14:30 and 19:00-21:30 daily).

• Local council often offer self-referral for counselling look on the council website and follow links.

• Self-refer to sexual health services in your area and ask for psychosexual counselling which will cover any sexual related issue.

• GP referral for counselling.

• Most workplaces and Trusts offer free counselling on a self- referral basis.

In this episode Laura Whitehead speaks with James Pyke. James is a Clinical Site Practioner at Croydon University Hospital. James gives an insight into working in both private and NHS hospitals. They discuss what the 'Post-COVID' era of nursing will look like, and how pivotal work experience was to both of their nursing careers.

Visit @navigatingnursing on Instagram and @LauraWh56878961 on Twitter for podcast updates