STUDENTNEWS


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Sandy’spositivechoice earnsnational praise


AMATUREstudent’s inspiration- al story on her decision to change careers has wonpraise at ana- tional conference. Sandy Costall, 39, from Irby, Wirral,


left a successful job as a research scientist in pharmaceuticals to study as alearning disability nurse at the University of Chester. A mother to two young boys,one of


Sandy’schildren has Down’s syn- drome and her experiences caring for him motivated her to follow a new career path. Sandy recently attended the Positive


Choices conference forlearning dis- ability student nurses held at the Uni- versityofLeeds,whichfeaturedspeak- ers fromnational organisations. Sandygaveapresentationtoanaudi-


ence of over 300 people about her decision to train as a nurse and issues she faces as amature student and as a mother. Sandysaid: “I was invited to speak


about my ‘inspirations, perspirations and aspirations’. I talked about howI juggle being a student with the de- mands of my home life. Iwanted to show that if you are determined and want somethingbadlyenoughyoucan do it. “I had really positive feedback from


the other students. Inever thought I would be standing up in aconference talking to a roomof 300 people! “My experience of having my son


INSPIRATION: Sandy Costall left a successful job as a research scientist in pharmaceuticals to study as a learning disability nurse at the University of Chester.


Tips on how to be a mature student and still be able to do other things


SANDY shares some tips and advice for other mature stu- dents. ■ Time management – It’s hardworkbut thepositivespay dividends. Juggling family life and/or working part-time as a mature student can be really difficult. Studying takes a big com-


mitment but being a mature studentmeans thatwe already have greater determination to achieve our ambitions because of the massive sacrifices we have to maketoget to uni- versity or placement and the demands on our time. ■ Be realistic with yourself – Time has to be made, it doesn’t just happen. Decide realisticallyhow muchtime youhave to give forstudying. Maybe think of alternatives such as studying part-time or cutting down on the number of part-time hours worked, look- ing at child-carealternatives or asking family for support. ■ Be focused – Think of something small that can be sacrificed as it is not really important, such as watching TV or browsing the internet. If going to the gymhelps you


feelbetterandyou’reworrying about your work, then go be- cause you will feel better af- terwards and be able to study more effectively.


■ Make time for yourself – It’s often the small, simple things that recharge our bat- teries the most. For me it can be going for coffee with an old friend, going for a walk along our local beach, a long soak in the bath, a spot of gardening, spendingtimeplayingwithmy children or just sitting down and enjoying a cup of tea and quiet chat withmy husband. ■ Plan times for activities – One example would be having family time after dinner and study time in the evening after the children have gone to bed. Find something thatworks for you and your family so you don’t feel guilty or tornand family members are not neg- lected Invest in awall calendar and


diary. Ihaveabigwall calendar in my kitchen with all the familynamesonitanduse it to record everything that every- one is supposed to be doing. I use my column to record


when I am in work part-time and also when I’m in uni- versity for lectures andwhen I am out in practice and what shifthours I amworking. I also use it to mark down when assignment submission due dates and examinations are. Juggling children’s activities


or caring for an older relative can be difficult so a wall cal-


endar is an excellent reference tool. I’m also lost without my di-


ary.I use my mobile phone diary and organiser to set re- minders too. Ialsohaveawhite boardinmy studyroom to record the upcoming study activities. I givemyself achiev- able timelines to complete things so that I don’t forget to do them. Allowextra time to complete


work and aimto complete it in advance if possible in case of any unforeseen circum- stances. ■ Use student support –Sup- port networks are so crucial at university.Forexampleif there are any problems at home making studying difficult then discuss them with your lec- turer – lecturers are human too and appreciate the de- mands that mature students face. Never be shy or embarrassed


to ask for help. Send an email or phone if youfeel unableto talk face-to-face.Never feel you’re alone because the Uni- versity offers a high standard of support networks. My dad died from cancer in


Christmas 2009 aftermonths of illnessandIhelpedmymumin caring for him. My lecturers and fellow classmates were so supportive and I felt relieved


thatother people understood what me and my familywere going through. ■ Recognise the importance of study skills – It’s 11 years since I graduatedwithmy first degree and it’s over 20 years since I left school and college with my O-levels and A-levels, so returning to full-time edu- cation is very challenging and hard work but I love it. Take every advantage of the


learning supportand re- sources that are available at Chester. When writing assignments


send in your draft copies to your lecturer to review and help you. Attend as many tutorials as


youmay need to ensurethat you do everything that’s needed for the assignment. Be proactive and responsible


for your own learning and de- velopment Always attend all your lec-


tures as making up the time can be difficult. ■ Always remember that it’s never too late to learn – Asmature studentswe have so much life experience and knowledge that we can share with our fellow students to help develop themas well. Good luckwith your stud-


ies.


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made me want to have a complete career change. I didn’t want to be in business anymore, Iwanted to use the


By Alexandra Williams


skills I’dlearned caring formy son to be used to help other people. “Being a learning disability student


nurse is one of the most challenging and scary things I’ve ever done inmy life. It’salso a decision I do not regret for onemoment as I amvery fortunate that I meet so many wonderful gifted people on this journey. “Being a learning disability student


nurse is one of the best things to happentome and I feel privileged that I have taken this opportunity to changemy life’spath–it’s nevertoo late to learn.” Learning disability nurses work


with people with awide rangeof physical and mental health condi- tions. They work closely as part of a mul-


tidisciplinary team with families and carers to provide specialist healthcare to support the well-being and social inclusion of people with a learning disability. Sandywill qualify as alearning dis-


ability nurse in 2012. She said: “I am very thankful thatI


have received suchfantastic support from the lecturers and staffatthe University,myhusbandandmyfamily tomake this career change possible.” For further details on choosing


learningdisabilitynursingasacareer, contact Dianne Phipps at the Uni- versity of Chester on 01244 511633 or email d.phipps@chester.ac.uk.


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