A new nurse hopes she can set an example for care experienced children after graduating from Edinburgh Napier University.
Laura McAuley collected her degree in Adult Nursing alongside fellow students from ENU’s School of Health and Social Care at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh.
The 33-year-old mum of four from Edinburgh is now ready to start work, after securing a role with palliative care provider St Columba’s Hospice.
Laura overcame several significant challenges to complete her degree. Shortly after beginning her studies in 2020, amid the Covid pandemic, she became pregnant – and later had to spend time in hospital with her youngest daughter, who was diagnosed with a life-limiting condition.
However, Laura says the care her daughter first received when she was born is what inspired her to become a nurse in the first place.
She said: “My daughter was born eight weeks early and spent her first four weeks in hospital.
“At that point you aren’t able to stay with them overnight and the thanks I had at the end of it for all the nurses were enormous.
“They were giving the cuddles that I couldn’t give. They were doing the soothing, the feeding when we weren’t able to be there. I thought that it must be such a rewarding, positive feeling.
“When I’ve been able to help people throughout my placements I’ve had a taste of that. It makes you so thrilled.”
As well as her lecturers and ENU staff, Laura was supported by the Hub for Success along her journey to graduation.
Based at Edinburgh Napier, the Hub provides impartial, one-to-one help for care experienced learners who are looking to get in, stay in, or return to education. It was established in 2018 to address low rates of higher education admission and retention for people who have spent time in care.
Laura added: “I got in contact with Hub for Success, they were all amazingly helpful.
“They got involved in meetings with my subject leaders to make sure everything was in order for me to return to university after having my son.
“During that time we were also going through diagnoses for my daughter, so it was really tough, but everyone at ENU and the staff involved with my placement were amazing.
“Being care experienced, I don’t have the same family support network that maybe most students who were brought up in a typical family would have.
“I wouldn’t have managed it without the support of my partner having the kids while I was working.
“I feel like if the support network wasn’t there I wouldn’t have been able to complete my course if I’m being honest.
“It helped me push and show that it is possible even if you have a bit of a rollercoaster on the way.
“I hope it shows people from a similar background that if one care experienced child can do it then maybe they can do it as well.”
Laura has also paid tribute to the Disability Inclusion team at Edinburgh Napier University, who helped her to manage her ADHD while studying.
Now that her studies are over, Laura is able to look ahead to a fulfilling career in nursing, and making her children proud.
She concluded: “It’s nice to be able to say that I’m a full registered nurse and no longer a student!
“My sons are a bit young to understand but my two oldest daughters are so proud of me. They’ve been going round school saying ‘my mum’s a nurse!’
“Even for them it’s an example to show that you might have tough cards dealt for you, but you can change them as long as you work hard.”