S3 Ep 8 - The One With Nurse Pragya from Season 1 - Licence To Practise - Catch Up Episode!
** Sit back and listen, it's time for Licence to Practise by IELTS Medical.
Link: https://youtu.be/4vxPwG-oXpE
In Season 3 Episode 8 - We caught up with Nurse Pragya; a UK registered nurse who moved to London from Nepal and featured on Licence to Practise Season 1.
Featured Course: OSCE for Nurses : https://www.oscenurses.com
Released fortnightly onto our Apple Podcast, (never miss an episode), Instagram, Google Play and YouTube Channel.
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Christina:
Hello, and welcome to another episode of season three of Licensed to Practise from IELTS Medical. Today, I'm going to be catching up with Nurse Pragya who I last spoke to just over two years ago to find out what life's been like in the UK for her and how her career's going. Don't forget to like and subscribe so that you never miss an episode. I'm really excited to hear everything that's been going on with her. So let's give her a call. Hiya.
Nurse Pragya: Hi.
Christina: Hi. How are you?
Nurse Pragya I'm good, thank you. How are you? It's been ages since we last spoke.
Christina: It has. Yeah, it's been so long. I'm really looking forward to catching up and hearing what you are up to, but I'm good. So how have you been? What have you been doing since we last spoke?
Nurse Pragya: I think that there was the pandemic, I think, since we last spoke before Covid.
Christina: I think it was, yeah.
Nurse Pragya: Yeah, it all changed our life so much. The way we do everything really, we're just coming, catching up with normal, whatever it is, right now.
Christina: Well, I know everything is so different, especially in your line of work. So, it was the pandemic and last time we spoke, you just got your pin, you just started working. So just give us a recap of where you were then and what you're up to now?
Nurse Pragya: Okay. I'm still in sexual health. I was working in sexual health. I'm still within the same trust at the moment, working as a band successful health nurse, obviously back then when I started, I just had my pin number and I've got this new job. So, I got into the role, I had so much of training and then start seeing patients for contraception, STI treatment, lots of safeguarding working with young people. Lots of things have changed obviously because of the pandemic. So when I started actually, it was just the beginning of pandemic and everything changed. So the way we treat patients, some of us got redeployed during the pandemic and after the first pandemic, I think we started thinking that sexual health is an essential service as well. So we still started seeing patients, but obviously it was all telephone consultation, and only bringing people who actually needed the contraception or really for treatment and stuff like that. Since last year, since everything opened up, we've started slowly, gradually started to bring things back to normal. Seeing them, seeing plenty of patients now. And it's all online though. People can book it online. It's not walk-in services anymore. We still have COVID guidelines in place. But it's actually worked out fairly well. People actually are coming to their appointment at the fixed times and they're quite happy about it. They don't have to wait for so long. At our services, we're quite busy and spaced, very, very fast pace at the moment.
Christina: I can imagine.
Nurse Pragya: Lots of pressure from the backlog of the pandemic and some of the other services not actually meeting the demands because of staff shortages. It is quite full on at the moment, but, and apart from being busy, I think the service is doing a great job still providing services to people and then patients. We're trying our best. Obviously there's lots of staff shortages of what's happened now, obviously nurses and clinicians still striking demanding for better pay. Things are changing, aren't they? So, for me it has been a really good opportunity as well because I started in the pandemic, but personally I had lots of growth. I did a lot of training. I've got all qualifications for my STIs, for my contraception. So actually I did manage to achieve for myself and obviously working with lots of patients. I've become a more confident, a bit of senior as well. Recently I was interviewed at some of the trust for advanced nurse practice role. So I'm quite excited that. I'll be starting on a band seven role, and next month it'll be September.
Christina: Oh, will you?
Nurse Pragya: Yes.
Christina: Oh, that's great. Congratulations.
Nurse Pragya: Oh, thank you. Yeah, it's actually very... I didn't think I would get it, but then I was interviewed last month. I got the job. So I'm quite excited and nervous at the same time. I'm starting in a bit of a senior position. And obviously a bit of advanced practitioner role. Quite pumped up really.
Christina: Well, they obviously think you're the right person for the job, so it doesn't sound like you've got anything to be nervous about, but I know what you mean. It's a step up, isn't it? But that's great.
Nurse Pragya: Yeah. Obviously traveling to a new place and meeting new people obviously, and getting used to a new way of working. It's the same department, but obviously it's a bit different service to our... I'm in a different borough now. Travel, moving to a new borough. Different variety of patients, might be different demographics. The way we do things might be a bit different. I think I'll be working is more in safeguarding teams. So I'll be doing more of safeguarding, closely working with the young and vulnerable population. It's going to be hectic, but I think I'm quite excited to start that new journey.
Christina: I bet you are. I'm excited for you. 'Cause obviously last time we spoke, you'd have just got your pin, just started working and then now you're just about to start a new band seven position. So it's great, isn't it? It just shows, just in a couple of years, how much can change?
Nurse Pragya: Things have changed. I have to work on myself, I came here in 2018. It started as a band two in 2019 and then went to band three for the healthcare assistant role and got my first job as a band six nurse when I got the pin number. It's been quite a hell of journey. It's been stressful.
Christina: Yeah.
Nurse Pragya: Yeah.
Christina: But look at you now - band two to band seven!
Nurse Pragya: Yeah. It's quite a lot actually, had to work a lot on that, but it has worked out well as well. I must say that. And I think the training, I've got opportunities that I received in my current role as well. Everybody was very supportive of me. I cannot thank enough all the people I've come across since the beginning of my career in nursing, until now. I'm learning every day. And today is my day off, so just chilling at the house, not much.
Christina: So what's life like then in the UK, outside of work? Are you still... Do you still like it? Are you still glad that you live here, that you moved to the UK?
Nurse Pragya: Obviously things have changed so much since the pandemic. It was quite off that we were not able to see each other physically, but obviously I was going to work. For me, nothing changed in terms of work. Maybe seeing a bit less patients face to face, but I think even during pandemic, I did see a lot of people because people still needed family planning services, people still needed STI services. So things have changed so much. I actually moved from the old place to a new place last year. So we caught our, our, our new home last year, so a bit settled in, and financially a bit draining, but trying to recover from that. Things have changed in world so much, isn't it? But I was lucky that I got to see my family back in October after two years of pandemic, which is...
Christina: Oh, did you?
Nurse Pragya: I went back home and saw my family members, my parents, my husband's parents. So it was quite nice to see my friends and family after so long of the pandemic. And then obviously I came back and started working. I actually felt refreshed when I went back home because obviously we all scattering home. Everything would change. We were all mentally stressed and then they knew what's going to happen. Life is really challenging at the moment. We are all dealing with recession and financial crisis. It's quite a fear, but with the fear, everything, we still have to live our life don't we? I think despite the hardships, I still want to move forward and still want to work and still got to live your life and do everything you can really. I think I'm quite glad that it's been really nice. We have a really nice hot summer. So we still have the good weather. I think it's been good so far, but not actually the heat we had last time.
Christina: No, it's not. And well, it changes. I know you're saying we've got good weather, but you do never know where the UK, so it's nice today, it might not be nice tomorrow.
Nurse Pragya: I'm quite settled in really. Job wise and everything. Obviously I do miss my family and friends, but there's only so much I can do. I cannot be everywhere.
Christina: Well, it sounds like everything's going well. It sounds, and I'm so pleased for you that you've got this new job starting in September. It's great. Last time I will have asked you if you had any advice for people who were wanting to start the journey to become registered in the UK. Now that you have got more experience of living here and working here, do you have any advice for people that are thinking of moving here?
Nurse Pragya: Yes. I think the NMC standard, a bit of change from the way when I was trained, things have changed. The guidelines have changed, but I think the basics are still the same, can still register as a nurse. They're still trying to work on the English language system. So they might be a little less, they might decrease the scoring. I think they're trying to take a bit of questions or there was kind of research going on, maybe decrease of the level of English, not quite fully, but maybe in some parts, like they did files in OT. I think for writing, you can have like 6.5 and then for, I think OETs, they're accepting C plus. So if whoever is trying to actually move, we are short of nurses. We are short everywhere in community, hospitals, everywhere. I think we really need nurses. And if you really think you want to advance your career, develop your skills, and learn something good, maybe move a new country or a little bit of an adventure. So I think there's still good opportunities to develop. There's always pros and cons everywhere, but I think if you want to develop yourself and you'd want to take on the new challenge, I think we still have got so many opportunities. We are really short of doctors and nurses here. Everywhere in every field, especially clinically. So I think if you really want to move forward, you can do your English first and then do your CVT and still practice your skills. Most of the trusts will finance you. Even if they don't, they can still send you to the centers, OSCE centers. When I was trained, when we came to IELTS Medical, the different tutoring centers. Buckle of yourself OSCE so I think, once you qualify, we've got plenty of opportunities. Like I said, you can see example of various people working in different sectors. You can choose wherever you want to. So I think there's still a lot of opportunities having, despite everything that's going on. I think there's still, we really need nurses here as well. So I think there's plenty of opportunities. So I would advise if you want to really relocate somewhere and obviously if you move to UK, I think culturally as well, we're really diverse here. So I think, you don't feel out of home. I haven't felt out of home. Maybe I'm living in London, maybe that's why, so you would not feel like you are out of home.
Christina: No, I don't think... I live up north. I live in the north and I think it's the same.
Nurse Pragya: I think it's pretty much the same everywhere and the way we do things, we are still in National Health Service. So I think whichever corner you come into UK, you still get trained up at the same levels. So I think that's the uniformity we have as a healthcare. Even if I'm working here, I can still relocate myself to Scotland and work there. So it's not going to be difficult for me because obviously the guidelines are same. And then it's just the same. Maybe the posting and the payment might be a bit different. But you can relocate anywhere in the UK. So I think there's lots of opportunities. So I would say all the best to the new candidates, whoever are applying or whoever are thinking of moving.
Christina: Yeah. Do it basically.
Nurse Pragya: Yeah. Basically, do it.
Christina: Well, thank you so much for coming back on the podcast and catching us up on what's going on in your life. It's been really lovely to get all the updates and again, congratulations on your new job. It sounds like everything's going really well for you.
Nurse Pragya: Yeah. It's been stressful. I'm not lying, it's been like really nerveracking for me. But I think if you want to move further, you have to do it with yourself. Sometimes you might succeed, sometimes you might not. But I think the main thing is you still keep going. That's the thing. I think that's what I think about within myself. I think others do the same.
Christina: Yeah. And it's paid off, so that's good. That's what matters.
Nurse Pragya: So I'm a bit nervous, but I'm quite glad actually it's a big relief.
Christina: Yeah. Well, well...
Nurse Pragya: Obviously coming from overseas and achieving such a thing, isn't easy in first place, but it's not impossible.
Christina: Yeah. You think you've just got to keep going, haven't you? And do what you need to do, step outside your comfort zone.
Nurse Pragya: Yeah. That's what we need to do, otherwise I think if you're not hungry or if you're not challenging yourself, I think that's where there'll be stagnation. I think if you keep challenging yourself, you will learn every day and you'll keep moving forward.
Christina: Yeah. Well, I think that's great advice. So thank you for sharing it. Thank you. Thank you for coming on again. Congratulations. And good luck with everything. Good luck with your new job.
Nurse Pragya: It was very nice talking to you and actually it's been really more than two years actually. Isn't it?
Christina: I think so, yeah.
Nurse Pragya: Time goes really quick.
Christina: I've kind of lost track of time, a little bit because of the pandemic, everything sort of meshed into one.
Nurse Pragya: I think we're in 2022 now nearly mid 2022. So it has gone really fast.
Christina: It has. But obviously things have kept moving for you. So, that's good.
Nurse Pragya: Yeah. Thank you.
Christina: Thank you so much for listening to another episode of season three of Licensed to Practise from IELTS Medical. It was so nice to catch up with Nurse Pragya and hear how well her career's going. I hope her story and her success since moving to the UK has inspired a few of you to start your journey to becoming registered in the UK. Don't forget to like and subscribe so that you never miss an episode. And I will see you next time.
