S3 Ep 1 - The One With Mental Health Nurse Ayobami - Licence To Practise - from Nigeria to UK - OSCE
S3 Ep 1 - The One With Mental Health Nurse Ayobami - Licence To Practise - from Nigeria to UK - OSCE
Christina:
Hello and welcome to Licence to Practice from IELTS Medical. We are back with Season three and we are kicking off this season with Mental Health Nurse, Ayobami. Don't forget to like and subscribe so that you never miss an episode. And let's give her a call. Hello hi, how are you today?
Nurse Ayobami:
I'm fine thank you.
Christina:
Good, good. Well, thank you so much for coming on the podcast and for sharing your story. Could you just start by telling us a little bit about yourself?
Nurse Ayobami:
Okay, yeah my name is Ayobami and I'm from Nigeria. I'm a Mental Health Nurse, I qualified in 2012. And I've since then been aspiring to come to UK to practice as a Mental Health Nurse. I have a family of four, two children. And I came into the UK in 2020. I came on spousal visa, my husband had been here, so I came with the children in 2020.
Nurse Ayobami:
And then did my IELTS. I had already done three IELTS in Nigeria, which I failed. I intensified my training, my preparation when I got in the UK and luckily for me, I passed after the very first one I did in the UK. That was a very exciting time for me, I was so excited. So I went then to do my CBT, that came out successful as well. And then I decided to become a permanent staff in one of the establishments. So my hospital and then I was booked for OSCE and the training at IELTS Medical in Thornton Heath. So I had a one week training in London at IELTS Medical, and then I went for my OSCE exam afterwards.
Christina:
And that was through the hospital?
Nurse Ayobami:
Yeah, it was booked through the hospital. Yeah.
Christina:
And how did you find that? How did you find your training and the OSCE process?
Nurse Ayobami:
Yeah, the training was really interesting because that was about the first time I met people from different countries. People of like minds, you know what I mean? We had to talk about the nursing in general. How is it in your country? How is this? And then we all had the same goal, so it was easy for us to bond and relate. And then the lecturers as well, they were very, very impactful I tell you. And then of course we had some goodies. At the lunch break we had some Jollof Rice and everything, yeah. So it was quite fun. It was quite fun. We had a good time at IELTS Medical in London.
Nurse Ayobami:
So afterwards I went for my exam, the OSCE exam. I did the 10-station. Yeah the new OSCE to be precise, comprises of 10-stations. But an unfortunate incident occurred during the exam. It turned out that during the Implementation Station, none of the three medications I was to administer was in the drug cupboard. So I needed to search and search to be sure that I wasn't raising a false alarm. You know what I mean?
Christina:
Yeah, of course.
Nurse Ayobami:
So I searched for about a minute and then I had to escalate to the assessor to say, please these medications are not here. She wasn't even sure they weren't there. She said they were there. She popped her head in to see and found out that the medications weren't in the cupboard as well. And this was just barely five minutes to the end of the station.
Nurse Ayobami:
So she had to then pause the timer, run out of the room to get the medications and back, and then having to administer three medications in five minutes, and then you have to sign, you have to tell the patient the side effects and all of this, the adrenaline was quite high then. I was so anxious, so nervous and whatever you can call it. So I managed to administer the medications and I thought I signed in the appropriate boxes and I went on. I just continued to hope for the best, because there was nothing more to do at that time.
Nurse Ayobami:
So I moved on to the next station. And that was the Evidence Based Station. So at that point, that was when I realized that I was missing the time for one of the medications I administered. Because it was a PRN I needed to have put the time I administered. But unfortunately because of the rush, I didn't put the time of the medication. So at this station I panicked, you know how it is, I panicked for a moment and I just completely missed out a vital information at that Evidence Based Station. So well I kept on, I finished the exam and I was just hoping for the best. But unfortunately the result came out and I didn't make it in two stations out of 10.
Christina:
Oh no!
Nurse Ayobami:
So it was really depressing. It was really, really depressing. But I started consulting people. I consulted IELTS Medical as well, to explain the situation of things. And then I was advised accordingly, that there's really nothing people can do. It's your choice entirely. So I was told that whatever you decide is your choice, we are not going to impose anything on you. They gave in their piece, which I really appreciated.
Nurse Ayobami:
I consulted quite a couple of people at my place of work as well. But people were just like, you can't report this to the exam center because if it were only the Medication Station, it would have been okay that the fault I caught from them and then... But because of the other station, people felt that no it wasn't rational enough for you to escalate. So I was a bit confused. I was distraught for days. Yeah, I was distraught.
Nurse Ayobami:
But eventually on the seventh day I made up my mind to contact the center. I sent an email to them explaining the situation of things. The only points rather, was call 999 if symptom persists or if you observe anything, that was just it, as easy as that could be. But when you are under duress you forget important details.
Christina:
Yeah, because it didn't go to plan.
Nurse Ayobami:
When I sent an email that, that also what happened at the time of doing the evidence base, I recollected everything that happened at the Medication Station, and things go really bad. But luckily for me they were able to understand, they went through the CCTV to investigate the matter and they found out that it was actually true. The medications were rushed and the examiner rushed to bring the medication and all of that. So I got a fair judgment. And I had already booked the receipt, because it has to be done as quick as possible. But the nearest date I got was in six weeks, or six weeks from the time of the exam.
Christina:
Yeah it's quite a while.
Nurse Ayobami:
So it was really, really depressing. You had to wait another six weeks. So well, I told them that that was the situation. They said okay, they weren't able to change the decision on the results as to the two field stations, but they were ready to offer receipts free of charge.
Christina:
Right, okay.
Nurse Ayobami:
Also, they offered to refund the cost of transport and accommodation. And to top it all, they also gave me a nearer date, it was just about a week from that date. So it was really quick. And I was so excited at the judgment and the outcome of the whole thing. I tell you I was really, really happy that I got back to them to at least give them my own version of the story.
Nurse Ayobami:
So that was it and I went for the exam and thankfully everything has been passed. I've passed everything, I'm in here. So right now I'm awaiting my PIN from the NMC, but of course I can boldly say that I'm now a UK [inaudible 00:10:36].
Christina:
Oh, well I'm really happy, I'm happy for you. Congratulations on passing, because that sounds really stressful.
Nurse Ayobami:
Ah it was, it was.
Christina:
Yeah. But I'm genuinely so happy that you are now a UK Registered Nurse. And yeah I'm just really happy for you.
Nurse Ayobami:
Thank you.
Christina:
And I'm glad that you decided to contact the center as well, because it just shows... And it's good maybe for other people to listen to this as well, because if anyone's had a similar experience where, fingers crossed it doesn't happen very often and I'm sure that it doesn't, but if it does happen, things do go wrong sometimes don't they.
Nurse Ayobami:
Yeah I'm sure it doesn't because all the people I contacted, everyone was like, ah well this has never happened before. They didn't even really know the right advice to give. Everyone were just like, follow your heart. I told them I was going to go ahead with this. And they said, just follow your heart. Just do whatever you feel is right.
Christina:
Yeah. And now hopefully other people will do that as well if it happens, which hopefully it doesn't, but if it does, you've shared your story now, so that's great for people. So the OSCE's done, everything's ticked off, really. Obviously you said that you had your OSCE training at IELTS Medical. Did you find that that helped with the OSCE?
Nurse Ayobami:
Oh yeah. It was really, really helpful. Because, I remember at that moment I had a friend who was self studying for OSCE, but unfortunately for her she couldn't make it. She couldn't pass the OSCE at once. But I'm glad that I got the training. Because, if not for the unfortunate incident, I could have claimed my OSCE at once. Because majority of the people who trained together at the time, they all passed their OSCE at once.
Nurse Ayobami:
So yeah, technically I don't count myself as a failure because it was precipitated by something. So I still feel so good that I came for the training and I feel I couldn't have passed the OSCE without the IELTS training, honestly. It's not as easy as the other exams. Yeah, I can say it's not as easy as the other exams. Self studying for OSCE is not something I would advise really. But I'm glad I came for my own training at IELTS Medical.
Christina:
Yeah. Well, I'm glad you did as well and I'm glad that you passed. Obviously you've done it now, you're starting your new job as a UK Registered Nurse, do you have any advice for people that are just starting out on the journey?
Nurse Ayobami:
Yeah, I do. I do. It's just a word of encouragement. If I can do it and I think any other person can do it, it's not something so impossible. Yeah people should just take the step, take the bold step. The first step is the IELTS, I think. Yeah, so just take the bold step. It doesn't matter how many times you do it. I mean, I did mine four times. I have friends that have done this IELTS up to 10 times, but that's it. So if I can do it then any other person can do it, just take the bold step and get the materials, prepare for the exam and just pray for good luck.
Christina:
Yeah. So it's possible.
Nurse Ayobami:
It's very possible. Yeah, it's very possible.
Christina:
And are you happy here in the UK?
Nurse Ayobami:
Oh yeah, I am. So excited. The dream finally came true. You can imagine since 2012, and then this old dream is coming through in 2022.
Christina:
Yeah, 10 years.
Nurse Ayobami:
It was a wonder with everything, came out fine, yeah.
Christina:
Yeah. Oh, good. Well, I'm so glad and I'm so happy for you. And thank you so much for coming on and sharing your story. I've really loved chatting to you and I hope that you've inspired some people to start the journey.
Nurse Ayobami:
Yeah I hope so too. I hope so.
Christina:
Right then, well have a lovely weekend.
Nurse Ayobami:
All right thank you so much, Christina. You have a lovely weekend too.
Christina:
Thank you. Speak to you soon, bye.
Nurse Ayobami:
All right, bye.
Christina:
Thank you so much for listening. And I really hope that you enjoyed my chat with Ayobami as much as I did. Once again, thank you for all of your great advice and for coming on and sharing your story. Don't forget to like and subscribe so that you never miss an episode and I will see you next time. And as always, to your success.
