Alumni
Nursing and midwifery event 10
Alumni e-newsletter - Winter edition
The Nursing and Midwifery alumni evening
For the first time last November alumni from the School of Nursing and Midwifery were invited back to the University to visit the new facilities offered by the faculty of Health and Human Sciences at the Paragon campus.
Hosted by the Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter John and the Pro-Chancellor Professor Dame Christine Beasley also the Chief Nursing Officer for the Department of Health.
Alumni had the opportunity to tour the facilities, as well as attend a very timely lecture on the 'Pursuit of Excellence During Pandemic Diseases' given by our own Professor Robert Pratt CBE FRCN.
Jill Sands, an alumna herself, returned to University of West London for the first time since graduation to explore Paragon House and gives an account of her time at University of West London.
It's never too late to learn
After school I went into nursing at the age of eighteen with five '0' levels which I had struggled to gain. With my set of twenty we spent three years gaining practise and theory to become State Registered Nurses. Then, after marriage, I worked as a Family Planning Nurse in the evenings whilst I brought up my two children. Later, in 1985, I spent time in Psychiatry becoming a Registered Mental Nurse.
During this time it became possible to obtain a degree using past experience from 1985. Because I had achieved my mental health training during that time it counted for year one. And so I embarked on a series of modules to gain a diploma and then a degree with University of West London.
By this time I was in my fifties. During the next few years I learnt about a variety of topics included within the degree course Professional Studies (Nursing). I was able to attend the campuses in Ealing, Slough and Reading having day release from work as and when necessary.
It was hard work but great fun meeting new people, old and young, as we studied together encouraging one another. By September 1997 I had obtained a diploma having completed six modules and a dissertation at level two.
I felt such a sense of achievement as I walked across that platform at the graduation ceremony. I had proved to my old school teachers that I wasn't as useless as they thought, it was just that their style of teaching didn't inspire me.
Encouraged by my success I carried on towards a degree. Six further modules and a dissertation and I was there! Another trip across the platform confirmed that I had made it and obtained the Bachelor of Science, Second Class Honours (First Division). And I was thrilled.
University of West London was a great place to study and now I am part of the Alumni supporting future students. Recently I attended a reception and tour of the new premises at Brentford. I met fellow ex-students and my own Director of Nursing, Ahmet Moustafa, from my mental health training days at Wexham Park Hospital. We toured the simulation ward with all the latest technology which was so far removed from my early training days in the sixties!
Now, in retirement, I look back on those days with great affection and encourage anyone to pursue new challenges. My next goal is to be a writer!
The Nursing and Midwifery alumni evening
For the first time last November alumni from the School of Nursing and Midwifery were invited back to the University to visit the new facilities offered by the faculty of Health and Human Sciences at the Paragon campus.
Hosted by the Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter John and the Pro-Chancellor Professor Dame Christine Beasley also the Chief Nursing Officer for the Department of Health.
Alumni had the opportunity to tour the facilities, as well as attend a very timely lecture on the 'Pursuit of Excellence During Pandemic Diseases' given by our own Professor Robert Pratt CBE FRCN.
Jill Sands, an alumna herself, returned to University of West London for the first time since graduation to explore Paragon House and gives an account of her time at University of West London.
It's never too late to learn
After school I went into nursing at the age of eighteen with five '0' levels which I had struggled to gain. With my set of twenty we spent three years gaining practise and theory to become State Registered Nurses. Then, after marriage, I worked as a Family Planning Nurse in the evenings whilst I brought up my two children. Later, in 1985, I spent time in Psychiatry becoming a Registered Mental Nurse.
During this time it became possible to obtain a degree using past experience from 1985. Because I had achieved my mental health training during that time it counted for year one. And so I embarked on a series of modules to gain a diploma and then a degree with University of West London.
By this time I was in my fifties. During the next few years I learnt about a variety of topics included within the degree course Professional Studies (Nursing). I was able to attend the campuses in Ealing, Slough and Reading having day release from work as and when necessary.
It was hard work but great fun meeting new people, old and young, as we studied together encouraging one another. By September 1997 I had obtained a diploma having completed six modules and a dissertation at level two.
I felt such a sense of achievement as I walked across that platform at the graduation ceremony. I had proved to my old school teachers that I wasn't as useless as they thought, it was just that their style of teaching didn't inspire me.
Encouraged by my success I carried on towards a degree. Six further modules and a dissertation and I was there! Another trip across the platform confirmed that I had made it and obtained the Bachelor of Science, Second Class Honours (First Division). And I was thrilled.
University of West London was a great place to study and now I am part of the Alumni supporting future students. Recently I attended a reception and tour of the new premises at Brentford. I met fellow ex-students and my own Director of Nursing, Ahmet Moustafa, from my mental health training days at Wexham Park Hospital. We toured the simulation ward with all the latest technology which was so far removed from my early training days in the sixties!
Now, in retirement, I look back on those days with great affection and encourage anyone to pursue new challenges. My next goal is to be a writer!
Jill Sands at graduation from University of West London in 2001
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