Careers and Enterprise Blog
Susannah Gilbert
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From peace time to pandemic, nightshifts to the Nightingale, alumna Dorcas is joining us for an interview as we celebrate her career journey since graduating with us, and the Rising Star Award she was recently given from the Royal College of Nursing. We catch up with her to find out her journey…
If you google Dorcas Boamah, you’ll find an individual committed to loving and supporting others.
She volunteered to spend a day with a nasogastric (NG) tube in to be able to empathise with her patients, she had her portrait painted as part of a ‘Portraits for Heroes’ project, and most notably was awarded the Rising Star award from the Royal College of Nursing. So we felt it was time to introduce you to this inspiring lady…
Dorcas, hello and welcome, and firstly we want to say a huge Congratulations on your award!
What course did you study and when did you graduate from CCCU?
I studied BSc Adult Nursing and graduated in 2013.
What has your career looked like since then?
As a newly qualified nurse, I began my career as a band 5 on a surgical ward. Soon after, I got a promotion as a Junior Sister, only a year and half post-qualification. During my time as a Senior Nurse on the ward, my main focus was staff education. I went on to complete my level 7 sign off mentorship course. By doing this course I was able to sign final year nursing students as competent. I spent a total of 3 and half years on the wards before moving on to ward as a nutrition clinical nurse specialist.
Tell us about how you came to work at the Nightingale, and your experience there…
I heard about the government’s initiative regarding the Nightingale Hospitals and I wanted to be in an unfamiliar environment with an unprecedented issue going on that give me the opportunity to improve as a nurse. I have never worked in an ICU (Intensive Care Unit) so I wanted to challenge myself.
No one is ready to work in that environment in full PPE (Protective Personal Equipment) and looking after really sick individuals, every day was a different experience yet very rewarding. Going through an experience like this shape you as a healthcare professional, it changes your perception of life it makes one gentler to themselves and others.
What was it like finding out you’d won the Royal College of Nursing – Rising Star Award?
When I was contacted by the RCN informing me about the Rising Star Award, I was shocked but grateful. When you are nurse you show up and do your job, and don’t look for any recognition, so when I stepped up during the peak of the global pandemic this was unexpected. This award has given me the confidence to know that I can make a difference even with the little things I do.
What are your hopes for the future?
I am currently studying a Masters Degree in Leadership so my hope would be to venture into corporate nursing where I can use my voice to make an impact. Also, I’d like to explore motivational speaking.
What advice would you give to graduating students?
I would say whatever you do give it 100%, be diligent, focused and have your end goal insight, as there will be hard, challenging times but when that season comes, always remember the reason you are running this race.
A huge thanks to Dorcas for taking time out of her very busy schedule for this, and we are incredibly proud of her ongoing work.
Want to know more about Dorcas? This is an interview with her from the BBC…
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