Health Studies Lecturer Fiona Cradden worked for ten years as a staff nurse and sister before joining the lecturing team at NWRC.
Her former students have gone on to work in healthcare jobs within the trust and private sector, and some of them have even treated Fiona herself!
Working across Strand Road, Strabane and Limavady campus – Fiona describes her role as “busy, rewarding and fulfilling.”
As a registered/ Qualified Nurse with a background in ICU/ critical care, Fiona’s students can hear her own experiences as a registered practitioner. This links theory to practice for students as well as making learning realistic and relevant to their studies.
Our Health Studies students have gone on to a range of careers including: Nursing, Podiatry, Midwifery, Physiotherapy, Speech Therapy, Criminology, Occupational Therapy, Radiology… and much more.
To apply for a course in Health Studies go to www.nwrc.ac.uk/apply
Name
Fiona Cradden
Job Title
Lecturer and Course Co-ordinator in Health Studies. I teach between the three campuses.
Years spent at NWRC
7 years
What campuses do you work in?
I teach in all three campuses.
Describe your job in under 50 words.
Busy! Rewarding and fulfilling.
What was your path to becoming an educator?
I completed a diploma in Adult Nursing in Queens University in 2010, I then returned to study, went to UU and competed BSC Hons degree in Adult Nursing, alongside working full time in Altnagelvin Hospital.
I thoroughly enjoyed Health and Social Care at school and always thought it would be amazing to teach it.
With 10 years working in the WHSCT as a staff nurse /Sister, I successfully secured employment in NWRC. I returned to UU to complete a Certificate in Teaching as well as a PGCE for Further Education.
Most rewarding part of your job.
Helping and caring for individuals is such a gift and to facilitate this amazing journey for others is a privilege.
In my opinion there is no better job than facilitating someone to pursue a career in health and I love to share my knowledge and skills. Patients and service users are so incredibly appreciative of what health care workers do for them and the job satisfaction in health care is extremely rewarding.
Meeting past students and finding out where they are practising and what career they have went on to pursue is also very rewarding and we are always so proud of them! It's also very uplifting to hear when students are offered their preferences into their chosen universities as a result of achieving their award in Health Studies
How does FE in your subject differ from education at school.
I am a registered/ Qualified Nurse - background ICU/ critical care, which means students can hear my experiences (whilst maintaining patient confidentiality of course!) as a registered practitioner. This links theory to practice for our students as well as making learning realistic and relevant to their studies. Our clinical experience adds to student learning and teaching, keeps them motivated to achieve their goals and keeps it real! Students also have an opportunity then also to demonstrate their new skills on placement -organised by the college.
Tell us about some of your student successes.
My past students have been successful in securing local employment within the trust and private sectors, some of which treated me personally!
It's lovely to bump into past students and to hear them say that they couldn't have completed their chosen career pathway without their Health Science / studies course. It is very refreshing to hear that we have been a part of that journey and we are so proud of them and what they have achieved.
