Nursing student Vanessa: “The nursing industry is incredibly broad – a whole new world has opened up to me”

Vanessa Felix, a nursing student, worked in her home country Brazil for many years as a practical nurse before moving to Finland to be with her husband. 

Nursing is Vanessa's long-standing dream. She started nursing studies while living in Brazil but had to interrupt them because studying alongside work was very difficult. After moving to Finland, Vanessa continued working as a practical nurse, but also began to explore study opportunities and noticed that combining work and studies is easier here.

Found her own place at Laurea

Many reasons ultimately led to Vanessa studying at Laurea. The location of the Tikkurila campus was excellent for Vanessa, but above all, Laurea seemed friendly and good environment to study in all respects:

– When I heard stories about Laurea and saw the Laurea website and read these student stories, I just got the feeling that I was welcome to this school.

Vanessa started with the nursing studies this autumn, and she has been happy for the admission to Laurea. Vanessa says that it is good to be at Laurea because the atmosphere is warm, trustworthy and safe, and students get the right amount of support.

– There is a lot of new information at the beginning of the studies, for instance, and it is sometimes challenging, but tutor teachers have helped and guided us so that everything has worked out, says Vanessa.

Down-to-earth studies

Vanessa selects Finnish and English courses in order to improve her language skills. As a form of study, she favours lectures over independent study, for more efficient learning. During the lectures, it is also possible to talk to the teachers and get immediate answers to your questions.

 – Teachers here at Laurea are very open to discussion, even after lectures, says Vanessa.

Although Vanessa already has experience of care work in her previous profession, working as a nurse is a completely independent set-up. This is why she has liked practical workshop teaching in the studies, where you can practise in workplace conditions with dolls, for example.

The number of traineeships included in the studies and that they take place in the early stages of the studies has surprised Vanessa; in many countries, the traineeships take place only at the end of the studies. In Vanessa’s opinion, however, Laurea's practice of traineeships is a good thing: When there are traineeships throughout the studies, it is always possible to apply the latest lessons in practice immediately.

– When we start working after our studies, we already have a lot of work experience. – I believe that this method improves the quality of our work and professional skills, says Vanessa.

“In nursing, I can give 100 per cent of myself”

Vanessa says that she has worked as a practical nurse with many good nurse groups, and this has ensured that she wants to become a nurse herself. It is important to do work that matters. As a practical nurse, Vanessa needed more responsibilities and that she could influence things better.

– When I worked as a practical nurse, I would often have liked to do more than was possible with the education, Vanessa says,  –  and it seems that in the profession of a nurse, I can give 100 per cent of myself to the patients, my work and my professional skills.

Vanessa has long thought that she would like to work in surgery as a preoperative nurse or instrumenting nurse in the future. Now she feels that it is possible to create new professional dreams during the studies.

– At least I still hold on to my wish to work in the operating room one day, but I am open because the nursing industry is incredibly broad: A whole new world has just opened up to me! Vanessa says.

After graduation, Vanessa hopes to start working as soon as possible. After a few years, she would like to work abroad for a while but return to Finland. 

– I also want to volunteer for, for example, the Red Cross or the Doctors Without Borders, Vanessa says. 

Vanessa has been thinking about volunteering for a long time. Now, with the nursing studies, this dream is also a step closer to being realised.