1. RCN Jobs Fair 2013 Fiona McGregor RN, SCPHN, BSc(Hons), BA(Hons), BA, MA, PGDip (Ethics) GDL (Law) RCN Jobs Fair 2013 Specialist Nursing

2. Current Role Research Nurse: UCL Institute for Womens Health Specialist Community Nurse: CNWL Sexual Reproductive Health Services Young peoples services (21 years and under)

3. Choice of specialty Difficult to predict trajectory I can tell you about my journey Key messages: Get experience everywhere Walk through those doors of opportunity

4. Specialising Specialising is about: Experience It doesnt necessarily mean in the field you intend to specialise Think about transferrable skills Select and take opportunities

5. My experience as registered and specialist nurse DatesPosts 1981-2General medical and surgical 1982-3Genito-urinary-medicine 1983- 1988 Gynaecology (wards – short & long stay adult and paediatric, oncology, theatre, outpatients, research, menopause clinic) 1988- 1991 Specialist GUM with research 1991- 1992 Occupational Health within Police Service 1989-…..Contraception and Reproductive Sexual Health 1995- 1998 Emergency Care/Occupational Health Academic career Dip OHN BSc (Hons) Health sciences PGDip Ethics

6. Experience (contd) 1998- 1999 Practice Nursing 1999- 2002 GUM/Contraception Integrated Service 2002- 2004 Palliative and Terminal Hospice Care 2004- 2009 University Lecturer (Post registration contraception and reproductive sexual health courses) 2009- 2010 Career break to undertake Law degree 2011- Research (womens and reproductive sexual health) and Young peoples SH service TBC BA (Hons) Music/humanities MA Academic practice (Trevor Clay Scholarship) BA Open GDL Law conversion degree Mary Seacole Leadership Award

7. Specialist Nursing My perspective…….. (key issues) To work in a specialist role there should be overall groundedness and roundedness It requires all the qualities of a nurse: Especially: The 6Cs A focus on the patient as central Accountability Leading and leadership – Role model to others Developing your role and developing your self Championing the profession as an incredible career

8. What do I do all day? Multi-task! Keep up to date and practice clinically, professionally and academically Work independently and as part of a team Motivate myself and others Network Design studies/proposals Applications (Grants, ethics, R&D) Recruit patients and follow through Mentor

9. Locally (YP services, youth centre, University, SRH clinical areas) Nationally (Conferences, exhibitions, posters, presentations, articles, publications, meetings)

10. Mary Seacole and other awards Examples Mary Seacole Florence Nightingale Queens Institute RCN Burdett Trust for Nursing CHAIN [enquiries@chain-network.org.uk ]

11. National awards, open to all Nurses, Midwives, HVs 6 Awards per annum worth up to £12,500 Opportunity for career and self development Improvement in outcomes for BME communities through planning and undertaking a personally designed project Excellent research experience will follow on from this Applications start March/April

13. Finally... Dont burn out/forget all the other important things in life. Good luck with your careers Please do contact me: Fiona.mcgregor@nhs.net