Helping Stephen be an inspiration to others

Offering quality care

Originally from Nigeria, Stephen first obtained his Diploma in general nursing before specialising as an ophthalmic nurse (a nurse that focuses on assessing and treating patients with a variety of eye diseases and injuries).

When he moved over to the UK, he studied for three months to obtain his NMC qualified nurse status in the UK. He says, “I currently work for the University of Bristol Hospital as a senior nurse practitioner. I am passionate about giving quality care to the patients and my role is very rewarding.”

Stephen had previously studied a mentorship course which was a great advantage to his skills, the team and to the students that he mentored, but he knew that he wanted to obtain his Nursing BSc degree.

Studying at an accelerated rate

Stephen studied our online Nursing Studies (Top-Up) BSc at an accelerated rate, meaning that he completed the course within one year. He says, “I was able to reduce my full-time work to part-time at my workplace so I could do accelerated learning. I was self-motivated and determined to do the course. I’m delighted to have completed the course in one year, but it wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the tutors and lecturers.

“The teaching and learning experience had been fantastic, the tutors are very supportive and promptly respond to any questions. If you are stuck with where to start on an assignment, they are happy to give you ideas and tell you if you are going in the right direction.”

One aspect of the course that Stephen particularly enjoyed was being able to virtually speak to students all over the world. He says, “The discussion board was very useful, it was a forum to share ideas with other students and is a great learning platform. Having the opportunity to learn from other students globally is awesome. You could interact, chat and help each other.”

“With how everything is at the minute, during the Covid-19 pandemic I have still been able to learn, as the course has been the flexible and convenient for me. It was good to be able to access the library, online resources and study materials anytime of the day 24/7.”

Improving his skills

One of the skills that Stephen feels he has improved is his leadership skills. He explains, “My leadership skills have greatly enhanced. The learning has given me the confidence to create positive changes to my workplace. By motivating and rewarding the team and improving work activities we have been able to improve our teamwork. If you have a good leader, others will follow you. I have also gained time management and self-motivation skills.”

With all this new understanding Stephen is able to plan the time on the ward, allocating staff, offering feedbacks and reviews, making improvements where needed but more importantly making sure his patients are happy and well cared for.

Goals for the future

Stephen would like to continue his knowledge and mentor and coach other nurses on his ward. He explains, “My core goal is to apply the skills and learning I have gained from UDOL to practice, to ensure patients continue to receive a high standard of care. Also, my motivations include, mentoring and coaching students and nurses in my practical area. I enjoy helping others to continue their knowledge, helping to inspire and support them to offer high standards of care. My team and students that I mentor are so proud of me for obtaining my degree.

“My academic achievement has given me confidence in my leadership and made me realise I can do this, and I can do further studies. It has also given me the confidence to encourage other nursing staff to continue their development. If I can have the discipline to be hardworking and balance learning, work life and homelife they can achieve too. I want to be an example for others.

“My next step is to pursue masters in public health. It would be a great academic achievement in life, and it gives you an edge over others when moving in to positions in leadership.”