Testimonial – Hannah Shephard

Hannah Shephard, Mental Health Nurse, LYPFT.

My experience of involvement with the Student Research Experience as a student nurse was overwhelmingly positive. It allowed me tangible involvement with research that I had not had so far in my training, which gave me the opportunity to put skills I had learnt in the classroom to practical use. I was able to learn from multiple research professionals, including principal investigators, research assistants, project managers and funding/grant staff. All this together made the research process much less ‘abstract’, which had been my experience so far in terms of being a ‘consumer’ of research at university. This experience has strengthened my confidence in my research skills, which ultimately makes me a more confident clinician in delivering evidence-based practice. I enjoyed having the chance to play an active part in studies within my trust, that were relevant to my field of nursing, and through this have gained qualifications such as GCP certification. I felt that the patients I was working with also found it useful having a staff member who works on their ward to be involved with the research process, and it helped them feel that the care we were delivering was contemporary and informed by a robust evidence base.

Being more active in research within my pre-registration training has helped me more meaningfully and confidently consider a career in clinical research in the future. I have had valuable opportunities to network with various professional groups that will help me in this going forwards, including presenting at the 2022 MHNAUK international mental health nursing conference. Unique opportunities such as this for Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals (NMAHPs) are valuable in the national landscape for developing health & social care in the UK.