Attending the QNIS conference as a nursing student from Queen Margaret University was an invaluable experience and one that I would recommend most highly. It was an ideal environment to learn about the exciting opportunities and the amazing work being carried out in the world of community nursing in Scotland. It was a welcoming atmosphere which encouraged mingling, friendly discussions and a sense of togetherness. The day was put together well and time flew by as I listened to talks, participated in a work shop and chatted to inspiring nurses.
The talks held throughout the day were both stimulating and challenging, delivered right from the front lines of people’s experiences and expertises. They provided up to date information and were delivered in a way that encouraged and challenged. I especially found the talk about the charity “Playlist For Life” very interesting. I had never heard about this charity before and found the sound, emotive evidence presented for using music to reach those severely affected by dementia both inspiring and challenging.
Throughout the day I also learnt about many organisations and services that were offered and facilitated by community nurses. This increased my learning about the services that do exist and also motivated me to go out and to make a difference.
The workshop that I attended was based on the challenges that face community nurses and how we can overcome these and truly make a difference. We heard about a number of community nurse led services who had been set up and run by community nurses who saw a need and strove to fulfil that need. This then led on to interesting discussions, which as a student, it was especially valuable to hear what older, more experienced nurses had to say. It allowed me to update myself on the current policies and pressures that are being put on community nurses and what is being done to try and overcome these.
I left the conference feeling motivated and proud of the nursing profession, as well as having learnt a lot. The whole day held a sense of valuing nurses and their contribution to people’s health and well-being. I would recommend all student nurses jump at the chance to attend this conference, thank you for a great experience!