Nicole joined the team at Windmill Lodge Care Home as a Care Assistant back in 2019 and since then, has gone from strength to strength in her career with us.
As soon as she joined the team at Windmill Lodge, her skills and persistence to ensure the care she delivered was of the highest quality were noticed by her colleagues and members of the management team. The people living at Windmill also shared this opinion and said Nicole was a true star!
After receiving this positive feedback, Nicole was selected to undertake a Nursing Associate Apprenticeship. Nicole was absolutely delighted to be offered this opportunity, as she has always had a desire to take the next steps in her caring career.
Nursing Associates work as a vital part of the wider nursing team and this important role helps to bridge the gap between Healthcare Support Workers and Registered Nurses. The fundamental focus of the role is to deliver dignified, person-centred care and with Nicole’s natural caring approach, Home Manager, Tanya knew this would be the perfect course for her.
Nicole’s Nursing associate training included a mixture of hands-on experience within the workplace, supported by classroom learning. The mix of practical and textbook learning really helped Nicole to gain a wider knowledge of the Nursing Associate and put this into practice at Windmill Lodge.
Nicole showed dedication throughout her course and her ongoing desire to pass her apprenticeship was shown in the outstanding effort she put into her learning. This is why when Nicole graduated in October this year, it was no surprise to any of her colleagues. In a graduation ceremony held at the University of Greenwich in London, Nicole celebrated her achievements alongside her close family and friends.
When asked about her Nursing Associate Apprenticeship, Nicole said, “I would describe the experience as a ride of emotions because I gained a lot of knowledge, made new friends, and overcame my worries - but it was also challenging because I have some responsibilities at home too as I am the oldest and I had to work and study at the same time. I believe my hard work paid off and I am overjoyed to have come this far! My ultimate goal is to finish my education to become a Registered Nurse.”
We are incredibly proud of Nicole and what she has achieved. This is just the start of her journey, and we will be supporting Nicole’s dream to become a Registered Nurse.