Yorkshire mum realises childhood ambition to become a nurse inspired by disabled brother
Abi Powdrell, 31, decided she wanted to work with people with learning disabilities when she was a teenager, but after becoming pregnant she put her dreams on hold. Abi was working in care and raising her four children. She had nieces with learning disabilities, and she continued to think about making a difference to people like them. Looking for ways to develop a career she attended a University of Hull open day and signed up for a degree in learning disabilities nursing, following a year-long access course into health and social care.
Abi said: “My older brother has cerebral palsy and I always wanted to work with people who have learning disabilities because of him. I have nieces with learning disabilities as well and I always thought that we all have a lot to learn from people who have disabilities and that it would be a very special career opportunity. I didn’t know you could specialise in learning disabilities nursing and as soon as I heard about the degree I knew it was what I wanted to do.”
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Hide AdAbi, who has just finished her final placement and will graduate in January, has already been offered a choice of jobs. She said: “It has been really tough, particularly in the pandemic, but I am not a quitter, and it is an incredibly supportive learning environment. My kids are so proud of me they keep saying, ‘Mummy is going to be a nurse’ and there was no way I was going to let them down.”
The course has also helped Abi understand her own children better, as it was whilst studying she realised her ten-year-old son, Oliver, probably had autism. She says: “It suddenly made sense. He had always seemed different, and he felt like he was different to other children. He has now been diagnosed and he finds that helpful. I don’t think I would have had the skills or knowledge to help him if I hadn’t done the course.”