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Gillian Davies 70 stories for #NHS70: Celebrating Mental Health Nursing’s Contribution in Scotland - #70mhnursingstories Name: Gillian Davies Current Job: Consultant Nurse (Mental Health) NHS Board Area/Trust: NHS Highland, Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership Your Story What was your journey in to mental health nursing? (700 words max) I started nursing at 17 years of age, I had never thought about being a nurse until one day we viewed an army careers video (yes video!) at school encouraging the pupils to consider nursing as a career. This was late in fourth year, choices made and a different career path chosen into the word of legal studies. Time progressed and I continued to think about a career in nursing. No-one in my family was a nurse or in the caring profession however I do remember my mum and family supporting and caring for elderly neighbours when I was younger and I also enjoyed doing this as well. I had worked in the local cafe a busy hub of Lochgilphead and met people who lived and resided at the Argyll and Bute Hospital. I was always keen to chat and engage with our regular cafe patrons, no-one was any different. As the years progressed and the end of High School approached, the thought of legal studies was less attractive the thought of being a nurse was still there and couldn’t be shaken! Living in a rural setting and the thought of moving to the city while appealing was also met with challenge. But I set off to pursue nursing as an option with an interview in Glasgow for general nursing. At this point I hadn’t considered mental health nursing as a career choice, but interview aside, questions asked, and offered a place so it would be I could commence nurse training. However a challenge to my chosen path ensued, despite a boyfriend at home (now a husband so an investment) was the commencement of P2000 and a start date of 18 months later. Not content with this I sought other options and I attribute my route into mental health nursing all thanks to my friends boyfriend at the time who advised “you can do your training Up the Brae and go to college in Paisley!” a commonly affectionate term for the Argyll and Bute Hospital at the time and the best of both worlds. So the energy turned to looking at mental health nursing as an option, I had some awareness of what this meant and considered this as career move. Application submitted, interview undertaken and questions asked the one I most remember about that day was the lecturers asking "what’s your experience of psychiatry?" I began to discuss my “cafe” activities and to this day I think this made a difference. So accepted onto the course in August 1991 leaving Lochgilphead to commence a career in mental health nursing. The training period then included spending time at college within Argyll and Clyde and placements across Argyll and Bute. I gained my first staff nurse post in the Argyll and Bute Hospital in 1994 and enjoyed the sense of community and support stepping out in my first qualified nursing post. Since then I have worked across Argyll and Bute and have managed to undertake many interesting opportunities despite living and working in a rural setting. Opportunities have included university study, working within different mental health settings, educational and teaching roles in partnership with The Open University/NHS Education for Scotland and The University of the West of Scotland. Project/Improvement roles, leading a research project and a team from the Argyll and Bute Hospital on the Global Leadership Programme with Boston University and more recently the role of Consultant Nurse for Mental Health in 2014. What does it mean to you to be a mental health nurse now?(300 words max) I have enjoyed a varied career since 1994, and seen many changes in mental health nursing; however the core principles remain the same. Our role is and always has been to support and enable people’s recovery from periods of mental ill health. The Recovery approach a concept introduced over the last decade only emphasising that our role as a mental health nurses has been to encourage people to self-manage, and achieve their potential regardless of their symptoms and diagnosis. People often arriving scared, distressed and hopeless whether this is on admission or first appointment however often being able to leave in a more positive and resilient frame of mind. Seeing mothers/fathers/siblings/children return to their lives/roles and homes because of their strengths and hard work with you as a practitioner has always been a reminder of our role as a mental health nurse to enable and empower people in our care. No matter what my role has been I have always felt it to be a privilege to work with people who need the support and assistance of mental health services. While my current role has taken me away in some parts from direct clinical work it steers me to new challenges and horizons. Often giving advice and support to practitioners on a regular basis. I still have the opportunity and pleasure to engage with service users, carers, practitioners, third and independent sector and members of the public regularly and in doing so continually improve and support safe and modernised mental health care in the future. What would you say to someone to encourage them to consider mental health nursing as a profession?(250 words max) I have given this some thought and despite the challenges I have never regretted my career choice and leaving legal studies behind me! Nursing has provided me with the opportunity to work and care for people who find it challenging or difficult to continue with their daily lives. And while it can be hard work and difficult to support people during these periods the rewards of seeing that person developing themselves, returning to study/employment, living life and caring for their family is a reward in itself. I would say If you want to help, care, support and enable people who sometimes requires more assistance at times in their life to achieve their potential then mental health nursing is a career choice that would enable you to do this and in doing so make a difference. There will always be colleagues/peers/friends and family who will support you during your career to achieve your potential and in doing so you will assist the people we serve on a daily basis. I thank the person (and you know who you are!) who encouraged me to consider mental health nursing as a career choice, I have no regrets! Signature : Gillian Davies Date: 8th May 2018 Please complete the attached template and return to [email protected] by the 8th May 2018. Please note: By submitting the completed form you agree for your story to be used for publication and other activity in promoting the mental health nursing profession. .
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