New Horizons

Three years ago Paula was working in a school - this November she will graduate as a registered mental health nurse with a guaranteed job and no student debt.

Working as a teaching assistant in a special needs school sparked Paula’s passion for mental health care. “As much as I loved working in a classroom, I was trying to support children who’d had very difficult experiences but felt I didn’t have the skills. I really wanted to be able to do more for them.”feel old and ‘past it’.” His brother, a keen cyclist, suggested he give it a go and he’s never

Paula started a nursing degree 16 years ago but dropped out of university in her first year. With a mortgage and plans to start a family, giving up her wage to be a student again was not an option.

“When I saw the opportunity to train as a nursing associate advertised, I grabbed it with both hands! You earn while you learn and at Mersey Care there’s a guaranteed job at the end. It was the security I needed to be able to make the leap into a whole new career.

I’ll be the first one with a degree in my family. I feel like a great role model for my little girl and my parents are going to be so proud.

“At first I was full of self doubt - I hadn’t written an essay in a very long time! How was I going to cope going to uni and with a baby? But I knew this time I had the drive and determination. I was more mature and in a whole different headspace.”

After completing her two year Nursing Associate foundation degree last March, Paula successfully applied to ‘top up’ her qualification and become a fully registered nurse with additional funding and support available from the Trust. With no student debt and a guaranteed job, she is due to graduate with a BSc degree in mental health nursing in November.

Have you dreamed of becoming a nurse but been held back for whatever reason?

The Nursing Associate apprenticeship could be the stepping stone to a new career. With no course fees, you earn while you study for a foundation degree and have a guaranteed job at Mersey Care.

Angela Charles is Mersey Care’s Practice Education Facilitator supporting student nursing associates at Liverpool John Moores and Edge Hill universities. She says, “So many of our students are people who never saw themselves going to university but often have years of experience and knowledge to draw on. This qualification is an incredible opportunity for them and the Trust - investing in their future together.”

Next move

Opportunities will be advertised on Mersey Care’s job vacancy page.

You will need to:

• be at least 18 years old

• have at least two GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) including English and maths, or Functional Skills Level 2 in English and maths

• have 12 months' experience in a care setting

• be capable of studying at Level 5 and commit to completing the foundation degree programme.

Interested in applying?

Visit merseycare.nhs.uk/ student-nursing-associates for more information and to register your interest.

Find out more about Mersey Care's Student Nursing Associates - read Phil's story.