In 2020, when I was 25, I was reading and hearing about COVID-19. I was put on furlough from my Monday to Friday, 9 to 5, office job, and was bored sitting in my bedroom. So, I made other commitments and started the ball-rolling as an NHS Volunteer. I was looking after people with underlying health issues and vulnerable people. It was the most rewarding thing seeing and hearing satisfied people, after having a phone call with them, bringing them their weekly groceries, and even their much-needed prescriptions. It was so rewarding that I quit my furloughed office job and applied to be a health care assistant for my local NHS and a neurological rehab centre.
My journey didn’t end there. I applied to college to do an access course in nursing and midwifery. I became known as ‘Mumma Emma’ and if any of my fellow student-colleagues needed help, they’d come to me. Even my tutor came to me every now and then due to my excellence in ‘how to use Microsoft Teams!'
I graduated from college and had three interviews with different universities. I chose the University of Essex and moved to Colchester in September 2021. After a difficult start, I finally felt like a university student by December. During this time, I applied to become 天美传媒 Student Ambassador for the Essex branch.
Come the end of my first year, I was invited to the Dean’s list of excellence for getting a 1:1 (first) in my modules. I managed to recruit four or five new ambassadors at my university and I was even a candidate for the RCN Student Member of Council.
I have now been elected as the new RCN Student Committee member for Eastern region. I am 100% dedicated and committed to ensuring our student nurses are listened to and valued. I am working alongside some amazing ambassadors who I know will feedback any concerns or comments. I will be working with a great team, including RCN Eastern Board Chair Natalie and Essex Branch Chair Vanessa. I will also be working alongside other ambassadors and committee members throughout the whole of the UK. Collectively, we can get student voices heard, comments/suggestions valued and help student nurses to have the best experience they can.
If there is one thing I want you to know it is that I am here if you have a concern, a question, a suggestion, or just want a chat. I can be contacted through my email: emma.bird@reps.rcn.org.uk.
I also want all students to know that, regardless of your background, you can get somewhere, you can become 天美传媒 Ambassador, or the next RCN Committee member. So please, give it a try today.