RCN Jobs Fair 2013 Fiona McGregor RN, SCPHN, BSc(Hons), BA(Hons), BA, MA, PGDip (Ethics) GDL (Law) RCN Jobs Fair 2013 Specialist Nursing

Current Role Research Nurse: UCL Institute for Womens Health Specialist Community Nurse: CNWL Sexual Reproductive Health Services Young peoples services (21 years and under)

Choice of specialty Difficult to predict trajectory I can tell you about my journey Key messages: Get experience everywhere Walk through those doors of opportunity

Specialising Specialising is about: Experience It doesnt necessarily mean in the field you intend to specialise Think about transferrable skills Select and take opportunities

My experience as registered and specialist nurse DatesPosts General medical and surgical Genito-urinary-medicine Gynaecology (wards – short & long stay adult and paediatric, oncology, theatre, outpatients, research, menopause clinic) Specialist GUM with research Occupational Health within Police Service 1989-…..Contraception and Reproductive Sexual Health Emergency Care/Occupational Health Academic career Dip OHN BSc (Hons) Health sciences PGDip Ethics

Experience (contd) Practice Nursing GUM/Contraception Integrated Service Palliative and Terminal Hospice Care University Lecturer (Post registration contraception and reproductive sexual health courses) Career break to undertake Law degree Research (womens and reproductive sexual health) and Young peoples SH service TBC BA (Hons) Music/humanities MA Academic practice (Trevor Clay Scholarship) BA Open GDL Law conversion degree Mary Seacole Leadership Award

Specialist Nursing My perspective…….. (key issues) To work in a specialist role there should be overall groundedness and roundedness It requires all the qualities of a nurse: Especially: The 6Cs A focus on the patient as central Accountability Leading and leadership – Role model to others Developing your role and developing your self Championing the profession as an incredible career

What do I do all day? Multi-task! Keep up to date and practice clinically, professionally and academically Work independently and as part of a team Motivate myself and others Network Design studies/proposals Applications (Grants, ethics, R&D) Recruit patients and follow through Mentor

Locally (YP services, youth centre, University, SRH clinical areas) Nationally (Conferences, exhibitions, posters, presentations, articles, publications, meetings)

Mary Seacole and other awards Examples Mary Seacole Florence Nightingale Queens Institute RCN Burdett Trust for Nursing CHAIN ]

National awards, open to all Nurses, Midwives, HVs 6 Awards per annum worth up to £12,500 Opportunity for career and self development Improvement in outcomes for BME communities through planning and undertaking a personally designed project Excellent research experience will follow on from this Applications start March/April

Finally... Dont burn out/forget all the other important things in life. Good luck with your careers Please do contact me: