We would like to congratulate one of our student nurses for being selected as a student ambassador for Health Education England (HEE), representing healthcare students on a national scale!

Ajirioghene Akpoviri recently began her voluntary position as a student ambassador for HEE after realising that student nurses need people to represent them on a national scale. She believes that the only people that understand what it means to study nursing in the current climate are nursing students themselves.

Health Education England exists to ensure that the NHS workforce are properly distributed and equipped to meet the needs of patients across the UK. A huge part of this means working alongside universities and placement providers to make sure students are properly supported during their studies, and have access to the opportunities and resources they need to succeed. You can find out more about HEE and the work that they do by visiting their Student Hub.

Ajirioghene came to UCLan as a mature student in March 2021 to study Adult Nursing after being inspired by the courage and hard work showed by nurses working on the front line during the pandemic. She is currently in her third year, and hopes that she can represent the views of nursing students from UCLan and all over the UK. She aims to bring about positive changes to improve retention and create a better student experience. When asked why she believes student representation in nursing is so important, Ajirioghene said:

“If we don’t represent ourselves how are they going to know what we go through as students. Nursing is a tough profession and we need people willing to speak out and represent us.”

We also asked her if she had any tips or advice for other students studying nursing: 

“It’s never too late to act on your dreams. When the going gets tough, just remember the reason why you started in the first place. Take care of yourself and be kind to yourself so that you can also look after others.”

Ajirioghene is keen to hear from fellow students about what they’d like to see changing for nurses across the UK. You can find out more about her new role through her profile on the HEE website, or contact her through her student email address - AJAkpoviri@uclan.ac.uk. 

Wondering how you can help represent your peers here at UCLan? Find out more about student representation at UCLan here and contact YourUnion@UCLan.ac.uk if you have any questions or just want to find out more