Winchester nursing student Myles features in NHS case study to promote work placements

A Nursing student at the University of Winchester is featured in new NHS case study. 

Myles Jordan is the first Learning Disability (LD) Nurse (RNLD) to have carried out a work placement at a GP surgery in Southampton. 

“It was a great opportunity to broaden my understanding and skills to support my development as a learning disability nurse,” said the 24-year-old. 

Myles worked at the Living Well partnership which has a number of GP Practices in the Southampton area. Myles spent most of his time at Ladies Walk Surgery in Thornhill and during his placement worked with Practice nurses, Advanced Nurse Practitioners, GPs and Paramedics. 

He gained hands-on experience in diabetes consultations and hypertension monitoring  – conditions to which people with Learning Disabilities are prone because of poor diet – as well as asthma consultations, wound care, immunisations and travel vaccinations. 

“I was very glad to have the opportunity. It was different from anything I’ve done before and I really enjoyed the variety of tasks,” said Myles. “It has given me confidence that I can put into practice the knowledge of health conditions that I have learned at Winchester.” 

Myles, from Southampton, came to nursing after working as a support worker for people with learning disabilities in the New Forest during Covid. He still works part-time at Oakhurst Lodge, a specialist residential home for adults in Ashurst. 

After leaving Cantell School Myles studied to be a boat builder before opting for a medical career. 

Approaching the end of his Access Course for Nursing at Southampton City College he was set to become a paramedic before deciding on a role minimising health inequality for people with learning disabilities. 

“I enjoyed supporting people with learning disabilities, but I had no idea there was a way to take it further. I only found out about the role of an LD nurse towards the end of my course,” said Myles. 

Ana Branco, a Practice Nurse who was Myles’ assessor during his placement, said:

“Myles was open to learn and embrace any learning opportunities I was able to arrange. Some of these opportunities were not on site, GP surgeries are closely linked to other community services and therefore we were able to arrange placement days within end-of-life settings, district nursing, and mental health. 

“It is important to supply student health practitioners with placements within a primary care environment as it provides access to a wide range of conditions and patient populations with an emphasis of care on disease prevention. The same way we were able to support Myles, he also had insightful ideas on how to manage and better support patients with LD.” 

Myles is now in his last year of an eventful three-year course at Winchester which also saw him undertake a work placement in Ghana. 

“Ghana was a truly transformative experience,” said Myles. “I saw firsthand how cultural, social, and economic factors impact healthcare delivery. It gave me a deep appreciation for the importance of adaptability and resourcefulness in nursing. Despite the challenges, the dedication of the healthcare professionals there was inspiring.” 

LD Nursing student Myles Jordan attends a mannequin ‘patient’ in one of the University of Winchester’s simulated hospital wards.