Christelle puts her passion for children’s health into practice at University
Christelle Tang-Van-Sao is in her third year of the Children’s Nursing degree. When she graduates next year, she hopes to work as a paediatric nurse.
“I chose the University of Northampton because I found the members of staff leading the Children’s Nursing programme to be incredibly friendly, approachable and enthusiastic. I knew that staff who had such a wealth of experience, knowledge and enthusiasm would definitely shape me into the nurse I was aspiring to be.”
“Even after my first year I felt like I had learnt a lot and gained so much experience. So, now that I am in my final year of studying I feel like my time at the University of Northampton has given me the necessary skills and knowledge to offer my patients exceptional care.”
“I am very passionate about children with learning disabilities as we often see them hospitalised in practice, and I think it is important to connect with them on a deeper level. Therefore in my spare time I taught myself to finger spell the alphabet as a method of communication. I am also really interested in learning British Sign Language. I feel that when I am working and caring for a child with learning disabilities, I will be able to offer a different standard of care if I can communicate with the child in a way they can understand. This enables children to be involved in certain aspects of their own care.”
“Nursing involves a lot of communication; between healthcare professionals, the patient and their relatives. I felt I already possessed good communication skills but through teaching of evidence-based practice, I have learnt how best to interact with my patients. The list of skills taught to me by my lecturers and mentors on placement is endless. The lecturers ensure that you are equipped with the correct knowledge to excel and develop as a competent student nurse in practice. I have been able to use the clinical skills I have learnt in lectures to offer safe and holistic care to each of my patients. The material covered in lectures is information that I will carry throughout my nursing career as it is so relevant and pertinent to excellent care.”
“The University of Northampton offers high quality education of an exceptional standard, and the lecturers are really supportive, and go the extra mile for their students.”
Christelle is particularly passionate about children with learning disabilities and hopes to make a real difference to the care these children experience in hospital.
