The Social Care Nurse Development Scholarship and me!
Ope Olufowobi RGN
Clinical Services Manager, Hodge Hill Grange Care Home
I will always be immensely grateful for the opportunity to have received the Social Care Nurse Development Scholarship for 2025. Its positive effect on my career as a nurse and a clinical services manager has been truly, truly significant.
Having joyfully accepted the scholarship, I walked into Sedgebrook Hall on 27 April with hope and trepidation; not knowing what to expect, however I shortly later came to realise my expectations were about to be far exceeded and I had received one of the best learning experiences I have ever had in my academic life. The passive learning was a real eye-opener, and definitely worth its weight in salt. I will be applying this to teaching opportunities in the nearest future.
The facilitators were absolutely brilliant, and they created such an easily psychologically safe (you will hear a lot of this!) and relaxing learning atmosphere that enhanced learning not just for me but for the other health practitioners from different parts of the country. One interesting skill we did a lot of, was the skill of active listening! It is amazing what listening to hear and not just respond, will do for you as a person working in healthcare, and it is an ability I’m thankful to have gained.
The sessions were truly great! I met other nurses (and a physiotherapist!) at different administrative and clinical levels, and it was a true privilege to have the opportunity to rub minds, learn from and even share practical examples and solutions to challenges faced in our different yet similar work environments.
I learnt so much about what it means to being a person, and how to approach treatment and care from the person’s perspective. We think we know and practise this, but it is truly shocking how far away we have deviated from person-centred care and culture! Words are truly not able to properly quantify the experience and knowledge I received as a result of this opportunity. I remain thankful to Chief Nurse Deborah Sturdy and the entire FoNS team, for not only myself will benefit from this opportunity but also all the colleagues that will have a richer person-centred mindset to care, and the residents that will benefit from this.
Applying what I learned to my practice has yielded significant change in only a short time. Although we still have a long way to go, the one-on-one learning sessions with some of the care staff has shown kinder care tactics, better satisfaction from residents, and a happier and more psychologically safe work environment for the staff. There is a plan in place for wider training sessions on what I’ve learnt, and I’m sure this will leave a lasting impact on the care we provide and the workplace culture we have at my local care home.