Background
I am a senior lecturer in the School of Health, Nursing and Midwifery at University of Paisley. I was a nurse for 15 years and then undertook teaching training. I’ve worked in education ever since. While working as an RGN, I did my RMN and then worked in acute renals. I left the area and took an elevated post as manager of a psycho geriatric unit (for the status). Fell in love with the work and stayed there, working in hospitals – acute over 75s and nursing homes. I was prompted to do my MSc gerontology in the hopes of being a clinical teacher.

PhD experiences
Title: Life in limbo: a study of delayed discharge from a policy and patient perspective

University of Aberdeen, awarded 2006.

Click here to view the abstract

I started looking at long term care. I found out about those waiting to move on and became very interested. I was a senior lecturer before I did my PhD but I had the opportunity of doing a PhD and thought why not? I wanted to learn for a while instead of teaching. After my director at Paisley left I studied part-time at University of Aberdeen. The School paid for 75% of the funds.

I especially enjoyed the fieldwork in my PhD. Time, however, was a challenge, as was putting the whole thing together. I never went on holiday without a laptop. Social and home life suffered.

The best piece of advice I was given was that the PhD is not the pinnacle of your career. Thinking that this is the most excellent work you will ever or have ever done is not true.

I rehearsed well for my Viva and quite enjoyed it. I’d advise students about to do their Viva to: Rehearse. You never know your work as well as you think.

Post-PhD
I’m in the same job as before my PhD. Since completing my PhD I’ve been sitting in a cupboard doing admin. I’m programme leader for overseas nursing via distance learning at University of Paisley. My job is all admin and checking – no teaching.

I’m also supervising two PhD students which I enjoy – it really keeps you on your toes. One of the students is researching stress and its impact on cognitive functioning of people with dementia; the other, the role of the nurse specialist in dementia. I’d advise students doing a PhD to be very organised and to keep a monthly diary as an audit trail.

BSG/NOGS
I’ve been a member of BSG for10 years. I joined to keep myself up to date, meet like minded people and network. While doing my PhD I was a member of NOGS. It’s important for companionship and to encourage you that the PhD is worth doing and it can be done.