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Ryland Looseley

Why did you choose Learning Disability Nursing?

My family has a history of working with learning disabilities in care or special schools. When I was younger, my mum would take me to the Special Educational Needs school she worked at on inset days and then I began to volunteer there. I’m a keen disability activist, which really inspired me to start this degree. Since joining DMU, my passion for disability activism has grown massively.

How have you been supported with your studies at DMU?

DMU has one of the best disability support teams out there. I was supported with my autism, before I was even given an official diagnosis. I have physical disabilities which have become more challenging lately, but I have been supported throughout. Nobody has ever assumed I can’t be a nurse because I use a cane as a mobility aid, have chronic fatigue and a joint disorder. Just because I have those things, it doesn’t mean I can’t do placements and it doesn’t mean I can’t be a nurse!

What have you enjoyed most on the course?

Getting hands on experience has been amazing. My first couple of placements helped me to develop my communication skills and learn different communication methods for different patients. For example, at one placement I had a patient who communicated by pointing her eyes in a particular direction so I would hold up two cards or two different options and she’d move her eyes to the one she liked.

My most recent placement was a psychiatric unit for learning disabilities and it showed me the range of people I can work with in my field. In was an invaluable experience, with something new to learn every day. I wasn’t interested in psychiatric care within learning disabilities until I went on this placement, the amount of support that is needed in this area was eye-opening. There aren’t many facilities for people that have learning disabilities that are specialised within the mental health field of practice, so I really benefited from this experience.

All of the placements are incredibly different and varied, so I’m excited for what’s next!

What do you think about the facilities on your course?

The clinical suites are fantastic! I had a wound care practical the other day and we learned how to put on a sterile dressing without compromising infection prevention guidelines; it was so realistic and great training for the real thing. It’s really useful to see the different scenarios that could occur, and the realities of carrying out procedures. Experiencing how exhausting it is to do CPR, and having to figure out different solutions for different needs, like being in a wheelchair, is so helpful when you go out on placement.

Emma Hasman

Why did you choose Learning Disability Nursing at DMU?

I actually wanted to do teaching when I was younger, and I worked in a special needs school for 10 years. I come from a family of nurses and I did feel that pull but kept thinking it wasn’t for me. But when I started exploring the options, and saw Learning Disability Nursing at DMU, I knew that was the field I wanted to pursue.

I’m local to Leicester and I wanted to study somewhere close to home. I’ve had family members come here; my mum did her nursing training at DMU many years ago. I really like the fact that the Learning Disability class sizes are quite small, and I feel like I’m part of a tight community, a family even. I did look at other Uni’s on Open Days, but they just didn’t feel like home. Leicester is so diverse and multicultural; I’m meeting students from other countries and backgrounds and learning from them that DMU has a place for everyone.

What's your favourite aspect of your course?

Nothing beats going out and getting that real-life experience and putting theory into practise with the placements. You also get that contact with patients or residents and get to see first hand how your interventions, no matter how big or small, impacts their lives in a positive way. Its honestly the best part of the course!

I’ve been on a range of placements including with a community team that goes out to patients and does a lot of work around relationships or teaching patients skills for independence. I’ve also been placed in a residential setting which had a nursing team and gained experience supporting in personal care, supporting patients with shopping and learning how to manage money. For my next placement, I’m going to a prison and I’m really looking forward to the experience. It’s a completely different setting to what I have been working in with those who may have challenging behaviours or mental health disorders.

What inspired you to become a Learning Disability Nurse?

My sister has a rare condition called Williams Syndrome. She’s missing chromosome 7 and like any other learning disability, it’s a spectrum; some people are very independent and some need support. My sister lives in a home with specialised staff caring for her and supporting her with independent activities such as cooking, shopping and everyday things that we take for granted.

Learning disabilities have always been a part of my world. When she went into an in-patient facility, I remember one of the nurses saying, ‘Right, it’s our turn now to be the carers, you go home and be sister, mum and dad. We’ve got it from here’. Hearing that made me realise I do have a life outside of helping my sister and that the care nurses give often extends to their family as well, not just the patient.