One nurse’s story – from Priory healthcare assistant to qualified nurse, thanks to Priory’s ‘earn as you learn' degree course
Date: 19 May
As we celebrate 150 colleagues who are training to become qualified Priory nurses, Vanessa McQueen, 29, a former healthcare assistant at Priory Hospital Cheadle Royal, describes her career journey:
"I decided to go into mental health nursing after my younger sister had a stroke at the age of 20. I wanted to learn more about the psychiatric aspect of her recovery, but I also wanted to ‘give back’ as a thank you to the wonderful people who saved her life.
"I think a lot of people are interested in mental health as it's a developing field; there are so many opportunities to thrive and grow. I have enjoyed the challenge of working at Priory. No day is the same; your day can go in any direction at any minute. For some people, that may sound scary, but I find it exciting.
"There are many different areas that you can work in, depending on your interests, and there's so much to learn. Priory is extremely supportive when it comes to learning and development. They offer courses, such as the nursing apprenticeship I'm about to complete, and regular training such as basic life support, rapid intervention and treatment, and safeguarding.
"I've had the privilege of helping patients through their most vulnerable time and they have, in turn, taught me a great deal about myself. I've met people who I'll never forget and who will stay with me throughout my life. I feel that mental health is moving positively forward, and I'm extremely proud to be a part of that. I would encourage many more people into the profession. There's no health without mental health."
ENDS
Contact: [email protected]
About Priory and MEDIAN
Priory is the UK’s leading independent provider of mental health services. We treat more than 70 conditions, including depression, anxiety, addictions and eating disorders, as well as children’s mental health, across our nationwide network of sites. We also support autistic adults and adults with a learning disability, Prader-Willi Syndrome and brain injuries, as well as older people, within our specialist residential care and supported living facilities – helping as many people as possible to live their lives.
Priory is part of the MEDIAN Group, one of Europe’s leading providers of high quality mental health and rehabilitation services. The MEDIAN Group comprises 290 facilities with 5,000 beds caring for 28,000 people in the UK, 120 facilities with 20,000 beds caring for around 250,000 patients in Germany, and 15 facilities with 2,000 beds caring for 13,000 people in Spain, with more than 29,000 employees overall.