Mick's story

Mick shares his experience of switching careers from a Personal Trainer to a
Critical Care and Acute Medicine Specialist Nurse, University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire.

He tells his story of becoming a healthcare professional in a predominantly female profession and how he has not looked back. 

What do you enjoy most about working in healthcare?

I really enjoy my different roles within healthcare as I have varied patient contact. I see lot of different patients on a daily basis for various reasons and all with different presentations. I feel a sense of pride in reassuring patients at a sensitive time. A lot of the time I see patients that are acutely unwell and part of my job is to reassure and support them.

What skills do you feel are transferable from your previous career to your current one?

Previously I worked in the fitness industry within sports science. I’ve always been customer or patient focused and have always strived to set goals for people, whether that is fitness goals for a personal training clients or short or intermediate term goals for patients just to give them a sense of ownership over their treatment. I have to prioritise and manage my time effectively. Within both my nursing and paramedic roles we have time critical patients that require interventions and clear and prompt decision making. We can have anywhere between sixty to ninety patients a day and have to administer care to those patients equally, safely and well within a sixteen to eighteen hour period.

What skills do you feel are transferable from your previous career to your current one?

Previously I worked in the fitness industry within sports science. I’ve always been customer or patient focused and have always strived to set goals for people, whether that is fitness goals for a personal training clients or short or intermediate term goals for patients just to give them a sense of ownership over their treatment. I have to prioritise and manage my time effectively. Within both my nursing and paramedic roles we have time critical patients that require interventions and clear and prompt decision making. We can have anywhere between sixty to ninety patients a day and have to administer care to those patients equally, safely and well within a sixteen to eighteen hour period.

What fears did you have about working in healthcare and were they justified?

I considered healthcare because I lost my father. Due to the exposure I had to his condition and the professionals that cared for him it made me want to look into nursing. My fears were that I wouldn’t be able to cope with similar presentations to him because I had a very close bond with my Dad and I didn’t want that emotion to transfer to the patients that I may look after in a similar situation. However, I have not looked back since I became a healthcare professional. It’s opened up so many avenues that I never thought possible.

What advice would you give to any males thinking about a career in healthcare?

Naturally there are barriers and challenges of being a male healthcare professional in a predominantly female profession but progressively things are changing for the better and it’s worth it when you see the patients you care for improve day to day.
If I could give one piece for advice for men going into nursing, I know it’s a big step going into a heavily female profession but I can genuinely say I have not looked back since. The more experience you gain, the more it really sets you up for life. There’s such an avenue of opportunity for progression within nursing.