Molly captures the challenges and job satisfaction of nursing in poetry

The challenges and fulfilment of being a nurse have inspired a student’s poem, now featured in a national publication.

Molly Bray, 23, who is studying to become a nurse at the University of Chester, shared her feelings about the profession in writing and her poem has been published by the Nursing Times.

Molly, from Warrington, is currently in her foundation year before progressing to study for a degree in Adult Nursing. She was asked during her programme to think of a creative way to depict the work of a nurse and she decided to express her feelings and thoughts through poetry.

She said: “I was inspired to write this poem because of the way I feel a nurse is perceived and people’s general conception of a nurse versus the reality. I have family members who are nurses and have shared experiences they have been through, and it has opened my eyes to the reality of what a nurse’s day-to-day roles and challenges are, as well as what I have started to learn in university. At the start of my module I was asked “what is a nurse?” and I couldn’t stop thinking of how I would answer that question. Every individual will have their own opinion on what a nurse is, but I found it hard to express my opinion by just writing the answer down, so I decided to write a poem.

“I want to show everyone how a nurse isn’t just there to “stitch up cuts” and make people better, but it goes beyond that. A nurse helps a patient mentally, physically, and more, and no matter what background or circumstances have resulted in them needing help, every person will be treated with the best possible care.” 

Molly said she felt ‘overwhelmed’ to see her poem published for other healthcare professionals to read.

She said: “I wrote this poem just for myself and for my assignment and I never thought it would have the potential to be published in the Nursing Times. I hope people will read the poem and have a better understanding or more knowledge about the role and the challenges of being a nurse.

“I am very proud of myself and what I have accomplished in my first year of nursing and I feel it has given me a boost in confidence for the rest of my degree.”

Molly said she chose to study at the University of Chester after hearing first-hand about the quality of care delivered by students on placement and graduates at Warrington Hospital. She also said she was impressed by the new skills labs at the new University Centre Warrington site.

Andrea Jones, Module Leader for the Professional Nursing Practice Module, said: “I’m very proud of Molly. She’s going to make a great nurse.”