Sarah Purser – BSc Mental Health Nursing
Sarah started university straight after leaving Stirling High School at the height of the Covid pandemic.
Despite many people thinking she was crazy and should take a year out, Sarah felt it was the right decision for her. She was attracted by the mix of practical and theoretical learning offered by the BSC Mental Health Nursing course and impressed by RGU’s Garthdee Campus.
“I liked the idea of being able to learn in practice as well as in theory. Being able to do half of my course on placement and through practical learning suited me greatly as I find it easier to learn by doing.
“I was also attracted to RGU, specifically as I loved the campus and its riverside location. I’d also seen the broad range of societies and clubs on offer, many of which weren’t available at other universities.”
Sarah says she is very proud of what she has achieved at RGU, but her journey has not been smooth sailing.
“I took time out between my second and third year, which helped me reflect on what I’d learnt over the past two years. It made me realise how much I missed nursing and supporting people when they were at their most vulnerable. It also cemented for me that I'd picked the right career and it was something that I was meant to be doing.”
In Sarah’s third year, she became a Student Ambassador and represented RGU at open days where she shared her experiences with prospective students.
A particular support for Sarah, has been the RGU Inclusion Centre which helped her through her studies.
“Within the first term at university, I was diagnosed with dyslexia and dysgraphia. RGU’s Inclusion Centre has been a massive help to me as they’ve helped put adjustments in place, not only in the classroom and theory wise, but also out in practice. They’ve supported me with weekly support sessions where I can talk through anything I’m finding difficult and point me in the right direction for more support. They’ve also helped me access any technology I needed for my course such as a laptop and printer.”
Sarah cites the amazing teaching staff and placement opportunities as a particular highlight of her time at RGU.
“The lecturers have been amazingly supportive and are more than happy to answer any questions or point you in the direction to get more information. The amount of knowledge they have and are able to bring into teaching is great, and the way they are able to explain theory concepts and link this into practice, has really helped my learning.
“My placement opportunities have also been varied and I particularly enjoyed my time in Shetland and Orkney. I went to Shetland in my first year for five weeks and loved every minute. I was able to learn a lot from the way a remote island such as Shetland supports people as best they can in the community and how they usually only send people to Aberdeen for inpatient treatment when they have no other option.
“In my third year, I went to Orkney and got on really well with the team there. I felt included as a student from the start and got to take the lead on patient appointments, with the supervision of a registered nurse. These experiences have taught me a great deal and allowed me to reflect on different situations and how to handle them as I move forward in my career.”
Now that Sarah is graduating, she is looking forward to starting a job as a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) nurse with NHS Lothian.
“I am delighted to be starting and progressing with my learning and development as a registered Mental Health Nurse working with children.
“RGU has really helped me feel as prepared as possible for my next steps as a registered nurse.
“I have been part of an amazing community and gained invaluable experiences and opportunities that I will carry with me as I move forward in my career.”