Karen Rennie Scotland

Why did you choose to study at QMU?

I chose to study BSc (Hons) Nursing at QMU because of the University's fantastic reputation for nursing practice, education and research. When I first visited QMU, I instantly felt at home. Staff were very friendly and spoke so passionately about the nursing profession and their desire to create future nurse leaders. It quickly became a no brainer decision!

What interested you about your chosen course?

I knew from my early high school years that I wanted to go into nursing. I had a passion for helping and supporting people, and a real interest in health and social care. I knew that I wanted to be in a role where I could care for people and support others to live a life that was meaningful to them.

Initially, going to university wasn’t a huge ambition of mine as I wanted to start working as a nurse out in the field as soon as possible. However, I knew that gaining a degree, and a good one at that, really was the only way I was going to turn my dreams into a reality. So, I decided to make sure that if I was going to university, I would try and get the best degree possible, which is why I chose QMU.

I knew from day one of my course that I had made the right decision. Not only did I love the practical side of nursing, but I also found myself developing a passion for nurse education, theory and research. 

What did you enjoy the most about your course? What was the highlight?

"The highlight from my nursing degree was finding my real niche in life. I felt very much at home at QMU, but also in the BSc (Hons) Nursing course. When I was out on Practice Learning Experiences (placements), I missed the theoretical learning at QMU – and vice versa! There wasn’t one aspect of my degree that I didn’t enjoy."

What did you enjoy about the Practice Learning Experiences?

50% of the BSc (Hons) Nursing course at QMU is practical placements in a variety of wonderful settings. I spent time learning in local communities with district nursing and health visiting teams. I had Practice Learning Experiences in rehabilitation for the elderly, acute medical respiratory wards, gynaecology surgical, theatres and intensive care units, and stroke rehabilitation. Each and every placement opportunity was meaningful, educational and fascinating. I met so many incredible nurses, managers, doctors, and allied healthcare professionals and of course, all the amazing service users and carers that helped me learn and develop as a nurse. In their unique way, the placement experiences provided me with valuable learning and knowledge that I used at the very start of my nursing career and still use today.

What has been the most valuable lesson that you learned at university?

University enabled me to develop my confidence and to really be the best version of myself. I was passionate about nursing and when I first started university, this really was the first time I started to love learning, reading and writing. This made me become more ambitious about my career choices - the lecturing team supported me to strive for every opportunity to excel, supporting me to attend conferences, write articles for publication and encouraged me to believe in myself. My career developed quickly because the lecturing team took time to support my individual needs and ambitions. I will be eternally grateful for the personalised support that Queen Margaret University offered me.

The main thing that the university experience taught me and will always stay with me is that if you enjoy what you’re doing, then it is a pleasure to work. Finding something I am passionate about made me want to work harder than ever. Reading became a joy and actually fascinating to me, rather than a chore; learning became fun, and life became focused and meaningful. My advice to anyone would always be to do something you enjoy – the rest will take care of itself!

What have you been doing since graduating from QMU?

After completing my BSc (Hons) Nursing degree, I was very lucky to be awarded the QMU bursary to commence my PhD full-time. I started my PhD in September 2017, two months after graduating with my BSc (Hons). My PhD explored ‘Sexual Expression in Persons Living with Dementia.’

The three years I spent completing my PhD was a wonderful experience. Not only did I learn how to become an independent researcher, I also received a number of teaching and scholarly experiences. I presented at local, national and international conferences in a number of locations around the globe. I managed to successfully achieve a number of article and book chapter publications, and even the radio and local news channels were wanting to speak to me about my research.

It was during this time I also found a passion for nursing education. During my PhD I was an assistant lecturer for research and dissertation modules within pre-registration and post-registration nursing courses. Supporting students with their coursework made me realise how crucial higher education is for them to become successful and happy in their careers. This experience, along with research and scholarly work, made me want to get into higher education after my PhD was complete.

During those three years, I also worked as a nurse in a care home in Edinburgh. I wanted to not only keep my hand in clinical practice, but really create bridges between care home/social care practice with academia and research. During the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, I took a break from my PhD studies to work in the nursing home full-time.

I am delighted to say that I am now a lecturer in the Division of Nursing and Paramedic Science at QMU!

What do you enjoy most about your lecturer position at QMU and has there been a particular highlight? 

I absolutely love my job at QMU. I work with amazing colleagues who have a wide range of nursing and academic experience and expertise - I feel lucky to be part of such a wonderful team. However, I would say the best thing is helping students reach their dreams of becoming a nurse and/or getting a post-graduate qualification. I learn so much from every student I have an encounter with, and it is fantastic to see them walking across the stage at their graduation ceremonies and celebrating them achieving their goals.

For me personally, I would say becoming Programme Lead for the post-graduate Advancing Care Home Practice course, and associate Programme Lead for the pre-registration Master of Nursing/BSc (Hons) Nursing course has been a career highlight so far.

You were recently featured in Universities Scotland’s 40 Faces campaign. Can you tell us more about this?

I was invited to represent QMU in the Universities Scotland 40 Faces campaign as I went to university straight from high school. My career path didn’t follow the traditional route and I think it is important that new graduates, no matter what background they have or where they come from, should have the opportunity to create their own career path – a path that enables them to flourish and excel.

Have you applied what you learned at QMU to your career since graduating?

One thousand percent! Since graduating with my BSc (Hons) Nursing degree, I have absolutely applied what I have learned at QMU. I was able to apply my clinical skills and knowledge to my role as a staff nurse in the care home - communication, teamworking, care assessment and management and reflexivity were pivotal skills in this role.

In relation to my PhD and working as a lecturer, there is so much knowledge that I acquired from my time studying at QMU that I could spend forever trying to list them all. However, being able to practice leadership, advance my creativity, and generally just understanding myself more have been fundamental attributes that I learned during my time at university that have helped me in my career so far.

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