Edinburgh Napier's 50th Anniversary 1964-2014 Volume 1 | Page 34

10 Rebecca Gates, BN Nursing Studies, 2010 “I heard about the course from peers who had careers in nursing and who had really enjoyed their time at Edinburgh Napier. It came across as a really down to earth, grounded place to study. The University is very well known within the health care sector and had a variety of placements on offer whilst studying. I also knew that having a degree from Edinburgh Napier would offer good employment opportunities after graduating. “I enjoyed all my time at University! The highlight for me was getting to travel to New Zealand to undertake a placement. I applied for a student grant, along with three classmates, and we were successful in receiving funding. Without it, we would never have had the opportunity to experience, what really was a memorable placement, and it was all thanks to the Development Trust. The opportunity for me to travel during my studies really helped when it came to finding work, as my CV really stood out when it came to applying for jobs. “My personal tutor, Ailsa Sharp, was fantastic. I had a great relationship with her and Carolyn Blight, who really encouraged us to travel during our student years. All the lecturers were really approachable. “I was fortunate, that I had my first nursing role before I even graduated. It was at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary in the High Dependency Unit, which was a great experience. I spent a year there before relocating to the Borders and taking on a staff nursing role at Castle Craig Hospital, a private drug and alcohol rehabilitation clinic. There I developed skills working with mental health issues, detox and helping patients on their journey to sobriety. I’m also on the Nurse Bank, which provides a variety of work opportunities allowing me to keep up my clinical skills and I volunteer with Crew 2000 and work alongside the harm reduction drug awareness team. “Edinburgh Napier gave me opportunities that other organisations might not have. I didn’t have A Levels, or Highers, and I got the opportunity as a mature student to study something that I really wanted a career in. From work experience to great placements and having the opportunity to travel really stood me in good stead for my career. The icing on the cake was receiving the Student of the Year award in 2009. If you put the effort in – you reap the rewards!” Since interviewing Rebecca, not only has she received a promotion but also gone on to undertake a new role within the NHS.