Laura Morrish
A mature learner, Laura is taking advantage of every opportunity life is presenting her with, as she prepares for a two-week-long placement studying her subject abroad.
So far, studying so close to home has been a big benefit for her.
“Travelling to Dudley has been fabulous,” she said. “The parking is good, the facilities are nice and studying locally has worked really well for me and my family, it’s all so close.”
The course Laura is on will enable her to do one of society’s most important roles; and she admits it has its challenges.
“Second year it gets heavier,” she said. “But we have had really good teachers who go through everything very methodically with us, they’re always so patient when you have questions.”
Laura added: “Having that level of delivery on the modules makes such a difference, it really gives you confidence going into your assessments.”
Central to studying nursing is the time students spend working on wards. They put on the uniform and work on the frontline of healthcare, serving patients alongside NHS workers.
“I have had some really great placements, with such supportive staff who got me doing things I didn’t expect to be doing so early on,” she said. “I was going into people’s homes in the community and helping them live better in their environments. I’ve seen the difference surgery can make to improve someone’s quality of life, and everyone is always so lovely, it’s so nice to work alongside the doctors and nurses.”
Laura has family commitments which she has had to balance with her studies. She said: “We’ve managed really well as a family. The ward staff are understanding and have been flexible when things have come up for me.”
University is a time for experiencing firsts, for taking opportunities you wouldn’t have done before, and grabbing life with both hands. This is something Laura has been able to do.
She said: “I wanted to see how healthcare works in other parts of the world, what they do differently, and what I could learn from that. I’ve secured a placement in Hong Kong; it’s only two weeks but it’ll give me an insight into what international nurses coming to the UK might have experienced.”
“I’m excited about the opportunity,” she added, “even though I’ll miss my family, this is something I just couldn’t say no to.”
Alongside her study, placements, and travel, Laura is also taking on work as a Student Ambassador, working for the University of Worcester on a flexible basis to earn as she learns.
“Becoming a Student Ambassador will really help us financially,” she said. “The flexibility is a huge benefit, being able to choose shifts around placements, study and life makes such a difference.”
Looking to the future, Laura is excited to continue her journey in the region she calls home.
“I’ll be very happy to get to the end of my course and have a job, especially staying local because I’ve had such a good experience here.