In his own words
Why did you choose to study Learning Disability Nursing?
Jack: I used to work at a kids club and some of the kids we got in through the door had Down’s syndrome, cerebral palsy, different levels of disability. And I've also got an uncle who has a learning disability and just through his experiences in hospital and things like that I thought, I could be a better nurse than some of the people he worked with a long time ago.
What has been an experience that proved to you that you'd made the right choice?
Jack: When I was out in the community I had the opportunity to visit this man with Down’s syndrome and dementia. He was living in a care home and his needs weren't being met at all – he wasn't being looked after very well. And I think through me understanding the nature of his learning disability and the health needs that come along with having a learning disability, with help from a doctor, I was able to lead an intervention that got him out of that care home into hospital to get treatment. And then I actually bumped into that doctor on Portobello promenade and she told me that he's back at home and doing really well – so I think when you hear a story like that, it makes you feel really positive about what you're doing.
What are the benefits of studying Learning Disability Nursing in particular?
Jack: We work with children and adults – at Napier we cover the whole lifespan. And I think the benefit of working with people with learning disabilities is that we get to work with people for a longer period of time so we build up really great relationships with our clients because we know them for so long.