Back On Nights Nursing

What happens when you are handed your NMC PIN and everyone expects you to know it all, but you still have doubts about whether you belong?

In this debut episode of Back on Nights Nursing, I sit down with Gina, a newly qualified nurse nearing two years in a hospital fracture clinic. Gina shares her honest journey, from starting her nursing degree at the peak of COVID and failing a module that forced her to take a year out, to graduating and finding a supportive team. We explore what student placements are really like, how the right preceptor and managers can transform a nurse's confidence, and why being kind to yourself matters.

What You'll Discover

- Supernumerary in Name Only: Why student nurses on placement are often called "the student" and paired with healthcare assistants (HCAs) when wards are understaffed, and how that can leave them disheartened.

- Bouncing Back From Failure: How Gina used a year out to work bank shifts through NHS Professionals (NHSP), rebuild her confidence on the wards and return to her studies with second-class and first-class grades.

- Leadership That Makes Nurses Feel Seen: Why extra supernumerary time, visible managers who help out on the floor and a supportive education team helped Gina go from anxious newly qualified nurse to confident team member.

Nursing is rarely a straight line, and the pressure to know everything from day one can weigh heavily on new nurses. Gina's story is a reminder that with the right support, persistence and self-belief, setbacks can become the motivation to keep going.

If you are a student nurse, a newly qualified nurse or thinking about a career in nursing, this conversation is for you.

Back on Nights Nursing is produced by Urban Podcasts.

Nursing is more than a career - it is a calling, a challenge, and a community. Whether you are just starting out on the wards as a student, or navigating the realities of modern nursing as a registered professional, you do not have to do it alone.

Hosted by nurses, for nurses, Back On Nights Nursing is your space to connect, share, and learn. We talk about the real, unfiltered reality of the job - from surviving your first night shift to navigating workforce challenges and professional wellbeing.

We believe every nurse has a voice worth hearing, and every conversation has the power to influence the future of healthcare. If you are looking for practical advice, shared experiences, and a community that truly understands what you are going through, join us as we navigate the highs and lows of nursing together.

New episodes are released bi-weekly.