Plan A or Plan B?

(Mum wants a blog, so Mum gets a blog - this is for you Mum! :) )

wow... what a week!
So until last Sunday my plans were to qualify, get a job as a staff nurse on a children's ward and just go from there and see where I end up, but things seem to have shifted slightly... To be honest the thought of being a staff nurse on a ward has always frightened me due to the amount of responsibility they have, and I've never been able to see myself working in a hospital for the rest of my life. Last Sunday I was just chatting to my housemate and fellow student nurse about qualifying and getting jobs and finding it scary etc etc, and something clicked within me... I was beginning to question if I was really pursuing what I really wanted to do. (Don't worry I'm not about to say I'm not going to nurse and my degree was a waste of three years!)

I would like to be a Health Visitor. It's always been in the back of my mind but I guess I've always shunned it away because I've felt like there's an obligation to work on the wards for a year or so first to consolidate my nursing skills. Whilst there is a lot of truth in that, I also thought there's nothing stopping me from applying to Health Visiting now - I don't need ward skills in health visiting and I have other valuable experiences which will help. So Monday and Tuesday I did some searching as to how I go about applying - basically you apply for a 'student health visitor' job and you get paid a salary whilst doing a year of uni and placements to become a qualified Health Visitor. I had a little look on NHS jobs to see what there were any around, and there was one (for this area) and the deadline is 4th February! Less than a week to get a CV and personal statement together... This is when my hopes quickly diminished thinking I'd never manage it and that I'd missed all opportunity, and the sudden change in plan was a bit of a shock! So until today I'd sort of put it off for now thinking jobs might come round again and thinking more about whether to pursue Health Visiting. The more I've thought about it the more I really want to do it.

If I didn't have to worry about money, or working and could do whatever I wanted I would love to be in the community getting alongside and supporting children and families. Which is a major part of Health Visiting... it's a no brainer about whether to go for it or not really...!

So anyway, I met with my tutor today and was chatting about how I'm thinking of doing the Public Health degree and she responded with 'Go for it, bite the bullet! Write your personal statement over the weekend and apply!'. And so in a bit of a whirlwind I made it home, calmed down a little and settled down to fill in the job application form and write my personal statement. I'm now done for the night (wish I was this motivated with my essays!) and will carry on writing it in the morning.
I'm feeling pretty excited that this could potentially change my career, and also a little overwhelmed by how fast this has all happened. But I'm feeling very peaceful about it and know that God has it in control.

This may not have been my original plan (and I realise it may not work out - competition is high!) but it could be God's original plan. I just really feel whatever is happening is happening for a reason. As my Bible reading reminded me this morning - 'We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose' (Romans 8:28). Whatever happens it's for my good, I may not get a place, but that's okay because God has something better planned for me.

This is a very rambly blog tonight as I'm now quite tired, but I hope it makes some kinda sense!

For those who pray, I'd of course love some prayer for guidance and to continue trusting this is all in God's hands! And that I will form a decent personal statement by the end of Sunday! Thank yooou :)