Nathan Coley, 30, from Wolverhampton, decided to change career after working in family entertainment on cruise ships and in children’s theatre.
“If I had told my younger self that I was going to be a nurse, I probably wouldn't have believed it,” Nathan said on his graduation day.
“Originally I wanted to be, as every actor does, an award winning performer. And it's funny, I reflected today walking across the stage, that it’s not quite the stage I thought I was going to be on if you asked my 12-year-old self! However, I wouldn’t to change it for the world.”
It was during the COVID-19 pandemic that Nathan was inspired to become a nurse and help others.
“I knew that I didn't want to act for the rest of my life. I knew I wanted to do something more. The pandemic was ultimately that crossroads where I go this direction or I go that direction, and I just happened to choose a completely different direction,” he explained.
“The pandemic gave me that opportunity to appreciate the NHS and want to be a part of it.”
Nathan enrolled on the BSc (Hons) Nursing Practice (Child) degree at University of Staffordshire. During his studies, Nathan had the opportunity to undertake a several clinical placements and take part in simulation exercises at the University’s Centre for Health Innovation in Stafford.
This year, Nathan was shortlisted in the ‘Student Nurse of the Year: Children’ category at the Student Nursing Times Awards
“In nursing, you have that responsibility of looking after someone, whether they're at their highest or their lowest. So it's a lot of responsibility.
“It's a science because it is the human craft of being able to look after somebody when they're most vulnerable, but equally treat them for their clinical needs as well.”
He added: “You get the full rounded experience of all the children's nursing fields on the course. You certainly find your place in the nursing world with a variety of placements.”
After graduating with first class honours, Nathan has secured a job in the accident and emergency department at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford and hopes that more males will follow his footsteps and enter the nursing profession.
He said: “People see a male and sometimes they think that you are a doctor. I say, no, I'm the nurse and they sort of raise an eyebrow because I think there's still quite a bit of gender segregation in the NHS.
“To be part of the movement to change that or just simply be different and say, look, I am different and I've done this for the better, I think I couldn't make myself more proud.”
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