Alex is a second-year Mental Health Nursing student. Alongside studying and being a student representative for his course, Alex runs a ‘check-in and chat’ scheme to support vulnerable people in the local community, which was set up in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Before coming to Christ Church, I was a senior healthcare assistant in the adult acute psychiatric sector for Kent and Medway NHS & Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT).
I‘ve always been interested in mental health and have been working in this field since I was 18. After reaching a senior healthcare assistant position, I decided to study so I could progress and continue to develop myself. I have always wanted to be a nurse and love to care for others.
I have always worked for KMPT and am somewhat KMPT-proud. Christ Church has strong links with KMPT so studying at here would mean I would be able to go into placements around this wonderful Trust, which is something I was always keen to do as it widens my perspective. I also own property locally, so I needed to be close to home.
I love my course. I am the student representative and thoroughly enjoy spending time on campus. The lecturers are amazing – they have such personality and knowledge combined with a great deal of admiration for the job.
I love my course. I am the student representative and thoroughly enjoy spending time on campus. The lecturers are amazing – they have such personality and knowledge, combined with a great deal of admiration for the job.
I have learnt so much about the field I have chosen and am able to reflect this in my working.
We have personal academic tutorials, and it’s fair to say my lead lecturer has been somewhat of a counsellor to me. I have climbed many emotional mountains in terms of my personal life, and I have always been able to confide in my lecturer, who has always offered to push my extensions back and help me where she can. This has really helped me in terms of my mental wellbeing and honestly, I don’t know what I would have done if not for her.
The best things about studying at Christ Church include going out into placement, working in so many different areas that I never thought I would, such as schools and rehab wards, and spending time with an abundance of new and interesting people.
The best things about studying at Christ Church include going out into placement, working in so many different areas that I never thought I would, such as schools and rehab wards, and spending time with an abundance of new and interesting people. Learning more about mental health continuously pushes me to the limit and makes me better in every aspect of caring.
Balancing work, life and University has been challenging - working full time while being married doesn’t allow for too much free time as it is and when you put essays and exams into the mix it is difficult, but I have so far managed these last two years.
I love being at Christ Church. We are all constantly developing and that counts for the Faculty as well. I love spending time at the University and learning about the field I have come to love so much.
My aspirations have always been high; I have always dreamed big and this form of higher education has given me more confidence to know that this is entirely possible, and with my continued knowledge I can and will get to where I need to be.
Working in care means you have one goal - to enhance the experience of the people you’re caring for and give them a better quality of life.
Working in care means you have one goal - to enhance the experience of the people you’re caring for and give them a better quality of life. Being on the ground means you can make a difference to everyone you work with, and while that’s amazing, I want more.
I want to be at director-level, so I can implement change on a larger scale - I want to help thousands of people get a better quality of life and give them the care they deserve.
After my degree, I think it would be time to gain a Master's and not stop until I get to the top!