Daniel Branch

I have Dyspraxia and Dyslexia which gave me some understanding of the struggles faced by people who can’t do things that many consider to be commonplace. I felt I needed a career change from the job I was doing as a legal advisor, but equally felt that I wanted to continue to use the skills I had already developed. I was fortunate enough to have some friends who worked within learning disability services as nurses and an occupational therapist, who suggested that I consider learning disability nursing. Their passion was infectious. They encouraged me to look at documents like Treat Me Right (Mencap, 2004). Initially, reading these documents made me angry; people with a learning disability were dying avoidable deaths due to a lack of care and support for their holistic needs. However, when my anger subsided a little, I was left with a determination to do everything I could to stop this happening. I realised that I could help to make a difference by becoming a nurse for people with a learning disability and stop people receiving inadequate care.

My university experience has been special due to the relationships with my fellow students and the staff. I was apprehensive when I first started the course but from very early on, I have felt like I am part of a team that truly wants everyone to do well. From specific academic queries to general day-to-day stresses, I feel I am really supported. As someone with Dyspraxia and Dyslexia I also feel that the support I have had for this from the teaching team and the support services offered by the University is the best I have ever had. Studying nursing in the city of Chester is highly enjoyable. It is a location that offers a beautiful range of scenery and amenities and I am able to maintain close links with my friends and family. There are a wide range of learning disability care services in the area too so the options for practice placements are really varied.

I have enjoyed so much about studying to become a nurse. I have enjoyed the academic work itself and have found the topics to be genuinely interesting. I have felt privileged to meet the patients/service users in my practice placements and have the opportunity to get to know them and contribute to their care. The BN (Hons) Learning Disability Nursing course challenges and pushes me but I have enjoyed the challenges of trying to meet and exceed the demands and expectations of the course.