For Katie, the dream of becoming a nurse wasn't just a fleeting thought; it was a lifelong aspiration. Last year, that dream became a reality as she qualified as a registered nurse, after a dedicated and inspiring career path.

Katie's story began seven years ago at Bolton Hospice, where she started as a Band 2 Clinical Support Nurse (CSN). "I always wanted to do palliative and end-of-life care," she explains, recalling her decision to join the hospice at 21, following an apprenticeship in health and social care.

Her dedication and ambition soon became apparent. When Katie spotted that funding was available to join the Trainee Nursing Associate (TNA) program in 2020, amidst the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Katie seized the opportunity. "I wanted that career progression as well. I wanted to be a nurse," she says. The TNA program, operating on a "hub and spoke" model, allowed her to gain practical experience at Bolton Hospice, balancing 30 hours on the ward with other placements such as Royal Bolton Hospital.

Qualifying as a Registered Nurse Associate in 2022, Katie continued her work at the hospice. However, she knew her journey wasn't complete. "After starting my training, I knew that it wouldn’t stop there," she says. "I didn't want to stop at a nursing associate, I wanted to go on and be a nurse."

Understanding that a traditional three-year university course wasn't feasible due to personal responsibilities, the TNA program proved to be an ideal stepping stone. "It was a great opportunity for me," she acknowledges.

Katie was keen to develop her skills and progress in her career, "I'm the sort of person who hits walls," she admits. "So I knew 12 months into that TNA training, I knew that I'd just get itchy feet again because I'm not where I want to be."

She discovered a funded opportunity to "top up" her foundation degree (FDSc) in nursing associate to a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in adult nursing. With the full support of the service lead at Bolton Hospice, she became the first staff member to be accepted onto the 18-month training at university.

Now, as a Band 5 qualified nurse at Bolton Hospice, Katie continues to develop her skills. As part of her continued professional development, she has started the Level 7 end-of-life care module at Bolton University, which will enable her to develop her skills & knowledge even further within end-of-life care.

"I love being a hospice nurse! There are so many special moments; just being able to have that time with patients and their families means so much. Being able to offer time to patients and approach their care holistically makes a world of difference," 

“For those considering a career in hospice care or a similar career pathway, I’d say it’s a brilliant way to do it. I think it builds a lot of resilience. It doesn’t feel as scary qualifying either because you benefit from on-the-job learning and you have the security of having a job upon qualification.

It is a really good opportunity and I’m very grateful the hospice has supported my ambitions and enabled me to achieve my dream of becoming a qualified nurse!"