Mum of five to returns to nursing after five year break
A mother of five from Nottingham has returned to nursing at Nottingham University Hospitals Trust (NUH) after taking time out to raise her five children.
Delicia Wild, from Nottingham, said she always knew she would return to nursing when the time was right for her and her family.
She said: “I missed being a nurse the whole time I was away, doing the hardest job of all – being a mother but as they say once a nurse, always a nurse.”
Nurses are required to be on the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register, which shows who can practice as a Nurse or Midwife in the UK, or as a nursing associate in England.
Nurses who take a break from their profession but want to eventually return, would traditionally need to complete a Return to Practice Course which is studied at University. It is an academic route to become re-registered and it takes around six months to complete.
However Delicia has been one of the first nurses in the region to complete the NMC Test of Competence – a different route for nurses wishing to re-join the register and which is a fully funded programme provided by NUH and Health Education England.
Unlike the Return to Practice Course, Delicia has been able to complete her training onsite at NUH while working in our clinical areas as a pre-registration nurse.
This has many benefits as it has allowed her to gain confidence in a clinical environment, while being supported by clinical and education teams at the same time as being employed by the Trust. This programme has allowed her to develop at her own pace which she has done in just 10 weeks from start date to NMC registration
Delicia, who will be working within the Health Care of Older People (HCOP) speciality, said: “Being able to complete the Test of Competence was at times intense; however the support from the Practice Education Team was amazing.
"They were always there to answer any questions or point me in the right direction. Doing the Computer Based Test (CBT) and OSCE gave me the confidence and reassurance that I have the skills and competencies to be a nurse.
“I feel good about returning to the hospital as I’ve worked here before and I already know it is a great place to work. “
“Nursing can be hard there’s no doubt about that, it is challenging at times however we have the skills and knowledge to see us through.
“You see patients at their most vulnerable and as a nurse you support them in ways like no one else can.
“Being able to do that is an honour. I enjoy caring for people and knowing that my role makes a real difference. I also enjoy having the opportunity to keep learning and also seeing people who have been unwell get better and knowing I helped in that process.”
Delicia qualified in nursing in 2010 and went on to work in medical admissions, in the Emergency Department and then she became a Health Visitor.
Her advice for someone who is considering returning to nursing is to remember that the good aspects of nursing by far outweigh the less desirable aspects of the job.
For more information about returning to nursing please visit:https://www.nuh.nhs.uk/return-to-practice