Leeanne MacPherson

When Leeanne MacPherson from Cumnock, Ayrshire, left school at age 16, she “felt done with education” and was working in a jeans factory. Returning to college to complete an HNC in Social Care, she moved on to work in the public sector supporting individuals with severe and long-term mental health issues.

However, Leeanne says it was when she began working for the NHS as a Nursing Assistant that she felt like she’d finally found her “vocation”. 

“There are and have been a number of nurses in my family and I’ve always found it an admirable career to look after and support people when they’re at their most vulnerable,” she explains. “I distinctly remember dressing up with my granny’s nursing caps when I was younger.”

Taking her own distinct nursing path, Leeanne says: “There was no doubt in my mind when the opportunity came up to train as a nurse that I would study anything else other than mental health nursing.

“It is such a rewarding job. I’ve supported people in various settings, from hospital into the community, and also in prison. You get the chance to build therapeutic relationships with your patients and it’s a privilege to watch them on their journey to recovery.” 

Enriched student nurse experience in workplace

With three children to support, Leeanne suggests that she wouldn’t have been able to undertake the Bachelor of Science (Honours) Mental Health Nursing degree if it wasn’t for The Open University (OU).

The OU course allowed me to remain employed full-time whilst studying. This meant that there was financial stability for my family whilst I was working towards my degree.”

“The OU is a unique way to study and it offered the flexibility that I needed to retrain. If I had studied at a ‘brick university’ I would have had to give up my job to become a full-time student.

“The OU course allowed me to remain employed full-time whilst studying. This meant that there was financial stability for my family whilst I was working towards my degree.” 

Her degree costs were covered by the Scottish Government-funded OU Future Nurse Programme, which is open to healthcare support workers across all NHS Boards in Scotland.

This included funding to cover her role when she was away on placement and study leave.

As well as continuing to support her family financially working as a Nursing Assistant, Leeanne adds: “From a learning perspective it was invaluable. As my line manager at the time told me, ‘Never to take the student hat off’.

“I was exposed to so many learning opportunities, even out with my designated study time it enriched my experience as a student nurse.” 

OU flexibility and support

The OU recognise the real-life struggles that students face and strive to support everyone to succeed whatever the challenges may be.”

Studying and working during the COVID-19 pandemic, Leeanne says: “The OU is very much about online learning and that makes it more flexible, as you’re not tied to a lecture at a certain date or time, so when all courses including ‘brick universities’ moved to remote learning OU students were experts!” 

During her journey to becoming a nurse, Leeanne also had the challenge of coping after a close member of her family died, which ended up impacting on her studies.

“I experienced a close family bereavement that followed a period of difficulty for the whole family,” Leeanne explains. “The support I received was incredible.

“The OU recognise the real-life struggles that students face and strive to support everyone to succeed whatever the challenges may be.”

Continual learning 

Since completing her degree and becoming a Mental Health Staff Nurse, Leeanne says: “The skills that I’ve learned through my studies will be carried with me throughout my career.

“I haven’t stopped learning and the degree has given me the drive to continually keep my knowledge base up-to-date. I routinely read professional journals, I’m supplementing my degree now with OpenLearn courses, and I’m considering a Master’s degree.”

She comments: “The OU has given me an opportunity that I otherwise wouldn’t have had. My family was my priority and wouldn’t have been in this position otherwise.

“I have developed new skills and a thirst for learning that I never thought I would have. It has also shown to my children where a determined work ethic can take you.”

Her younger sister has also since started studying nursing with the OU after Leeanne supported her to apply.

“My sister will often say how proud she is of me. However, she has no idea of how proud I am of her,” she shares.

Photo of Leeanne MacPherson by Neil Hanna