The fact that the University places great importance on welcoming international students and helping them adapt to the new stresses of university life is one of the main reasons Veronica chose to study at the University of Central Lancashire.
Preston greeted me with a cold gust of wind and a drizzle of rain which was a complete contrast from Dubai’s hot weather. As I walked through the University with my dad; looking for the possible buildings that I will have my lectures in, reality set in and that soon I would have to figure out how to live on my own. I have learned though to bundle up, bring an umbrella and invest in a good winter jacket.
UCLan has made me feel welcome by hosting a range of different activities and events that provided me with opportunities to branch out and meet new people. On my first day, I joined the tour around campus and the city centre and came back with not only having some idea of where I could eat, shop and explore but also met a new friend.
The BSc (Hons) Nursing with Registered Nurse (Adult) course is equally divided in terms of theory and practice. When student nurses are not busy studying for anatomy, nursing policies and practices, we are in clinical placements learning from nurses, doctors and their conforming multidisciplinary teams. Being in clinical placement has been physically and emotionally demanding, yet I keep coming back for more. There’s nothing more rewarding than knowing that in your own way you were able to provide some comfort to a patient.
The course provides placements in hospitals, the community and clinics in order to gain a variety of different types of nursing care. With the current pandemic and being placed in the Critical Care Unit, my passion for nursing further developed. I was not only able to learn more about COVID-19 and different critical illnesses, but it also helped me gain more knowledge and experience in patient care, recovery and established skills needed to become a nurse.