Briefly, could you explain your background and career before coming to King's?
My name is Michael and I am a Registered Nurse who qualified for practice in 2005. Over the past two decades, I have built a varied and multidimensional career. Having worked in a diverse array of clinical settings and developed my experience, knowledge, and skills progressively, a few years ago I became a senior clinical lead nurse with a strong remit around quality, within a leading social care provider. My role requires me to remain on the frontiers of nursing practice, and it was this focus on continuous professional development and deep learning, which led me to study a Master’s module titled Clinical Leadership at King’s.
What most attracted you to this course at King’s?
I was fascinated by the opportunity to study leadership theories in the context of nursing practice, which the module Clinical Leadership offered uniquely. The module seemed particularly promising in terms of the application of theory to practice, based on an extremely nuanced and refined connection between the leadership literature and the context of nursing. I expected the module would help me hone my leadership skills and elevate my game as a clinical lead nurse.
How did you find the experience?
I had high expectations from King’s due to its name recognition and excellent standing as a premier academic institution; however, my actual experience exceeded my expectations. I am blown away by how the module expanded my horizons, built my confidence as a leader, and allowed me to approach leadership situations with both a more reflexive and more evidence-based perspective. I have sharpened my critical analysis skills thoroughly as well, and I now have a clearer vision of how to lead effectively as a nurse leader.
What has been the best thing about the course?
The best thing about the Clinical Leadership module is that diversity and inclusion considerations were at the heart of the module content, and this was an area that is very close to my heart, not to mention its vital importance in the nursing context. The teaching was excellent, and I felt the module leader had a clear and strong commitment to equalities, which meant the experience of taking the module was also very inclusive for me as a student.
What impact has this course had on you or your career?
I just finished the Clinical Leadership module, and I can already see that I am looking at leadership challenges differently, from a more mature and evolved lens, and with a variety of possible solutions at my fingertips to address questions that arise in clinical contexts specifically.
What are your plans now that you have completed the programme?
I plan to continue taking modules provided through King’s, as this experience has been so eye-opening and compelling for me. I cannot wait to explore advanced nursing topics through further short courses.
What would you say to someone who is thinking about studying at King's?
Don’t hesitate. This is the best nursing school in the world, and I’ve had the most fulfilling learning experience, which exceeded my high expectations.