John Fowler

Academic essays part 4: exploring the question

Although this appears reassuring and gives the student a degree of confidence that they understand the question, there is a danger that they miss one or two important parts of the assignment. This may...

Academic essays part 3: how to pass an assignment

I've been setting and marking essays for over 30 years, supporting a range of staff from first-year students to specialist nurses undertaking Masters and PhDs. From this, I've identified eight...

From staff nurse to nurse consultant: Academic essays part 2: why nurses fail assignments

The essay may be well written. It may reference the literature in an informed way, and even apply theory to clinical practice; however, if it does not attempt to answer the question set, it will...

Academic essays part 1: the importance of academic writing

For most nurses who struggle with academic skills, it is usually not their innate academic ability that is the problem, but the lack of specific skills required to research the question and then...

From staff nurse to nurse consultant: Survival Guide part 12: Surviving social media

‘Nurses, midwives and nursing associates may put their registration at risk, and students may jeopardise their ability to join our register, if they act in any way that is unprofessional or unlawful...

From staff nurse to nurse consultant: Survival Guide part 11: Surviving self-doubt

From staff nurse to nurse consultant: Survival Guide part 10: Surviving ‘difficult’ patients

Although I'm aware of the danger of labelling some patients as ‘difficult’—and that most people can be difficult given certain stressors and frustrations—nearly all clinical staff that I talk to have...

From staff nurse to nurse consultant: Survival Guide part 9: Combining parenthood and work

I know of one person who employed a live-in nanny; she sorted out the children in the morning, took them to school, did the washing and ironing and prepared a meal for when people came home. Sounds...

From staff nurse to nurse consultant: Survival Guide part 8: Surviving on a basic wage

Unlike many careers, registration as a nurse gives you the skills to work in almost any part of the UK, in any town and in almost any medium-sized village. Provided you are willing to be flexible with...

From staff nurse to nurse consultant: Survival Guide part 7: Surviving professional relationships

Take a few moments to think about the various people and teams that you work with. Identify the various professions you interact with: medical staff, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech...

From staff nurse to nurse consultant: Survival Guide part 6: Surviving critical incidents

From staff nurse to nurse consultant: Survival Guide part 5: Surviving holistically

Spend a few moments thinking about yourself; that in itself is a challenge for many of us who spend most of our time serving the needs of others. Get a cup of coffee, shut the door, take a piece of...

From staff nurse to nurse consultant: Survival Guide part 4: Surviving as a senior clinical nurse

Each of the above roles are not individually unduly stressful. Some become routine and, with experience, do not create undue stress. Others would be rarer, such as attending a coroner's court, and...

From staff nurse to nurse consultant: Survival Guide part 3: Just qualified

If you are working in a hospital ward then there will be HCAs—some of whom may have been working there for a decade, while others will be new and inexperienced—there will be other experienced...

From staff nurse to nurse consultant: Survival Guide part 2: Surviving as a student

There are a number of stress points when starting a nursing degree. The orientation to university life and the possible move to a new part of the country, leaving family and friends behind, can be...