STILL TEACHING THEN DAVE!

STILL TEACHING THEN DAVE!

I have been a Nurse Teacher in Swansea for the last 24 years. During that time I have had literally thousands of student nurses pass through my hands in one way or another. I have been a personal tutor, I have given lessons on just about everything you can think of, I have marked countless thousands  of essays and assignments, visited hundreds of wards, issued warnings, given encouragement, and mopped up an awful lot of tears. I have applauded success and watched these students go on to have their careers as nurses in a bewildering array of settings. Some have come back for further studies; some have gone to great things and lofty roles.  Some have actually cared for me in recent years as I have got older and developed my various ailments.

With all that in mind let me tell you about something that happens to me quite a lot. I am frequently accosted by old students of mine, in Tesco’s, in restaurants, walking the dog, wandering through hospital corridors. And their opening line is always the same “Hi Dave – still teaching?”. This will be made more colourful if you can imagine this in a rich Welsh accent.

Still Teaching? I am sure everyone who ever reads this will identify with that moment when you realise that very few people actually understand the intricacies of what you do, of what your job actually entails. “Still Teaching?”, “Still Nursing?”, “Still Doctoring?” what do these comments mean? Or alternatively – does it matter – as long as you know what you do!

When faced with a “Still Teaching?” question I usually respond simply by saying “Yes – still Teaching” – this often accompanied by a quite awkward inward reflection as to who the hell the questioner is? Now I know ALL nurses will identify with that: Patient “Hello Nurse – how are you”, Nurse “I’m fine thanks” (thinking who are you – where do you know me from!).     

ANYHOW – I digress.  It is totally understandable that we cannot all understand the intricacies of everyone elses occupational role, how could we. But I am intrigued by stereotypes, and how we view professions and their roles.  And hence my interest and focus on this very specific, and seemingly innocent quest “Still Teaching Then?”.  My point, or issue if you prefer, is that being a “Teacher” of nursing for me is so much more than just “Teaching”, and that the world of education is complex place. In fact “Teaching” for me is a way of life.

For example, over the years I have been met countless times with the view that teachers have it easy, working just nine moths of the year with all the summer off. Nothing could in fact be further from the truth.  In Universities the Summer months are some of our busiest, marking, preparing next years timetables, admissions, A Level results and endless other tasks. Teachers work at weekends, preparing lessons, marking. They work in the evenings. In fact - Teachers work hard!

Now don’t get me wrong, I will not bore you with my weekly timetable!  The irony here is that when I agree to the comment “Hi Dave, still Teaching?” I am in fact not really telling the truth. It has been some time since my role was that of a frontline teacher.  Today I am a senior academic and a strategic manager. I spend endless hours in meetings, juggling budgets and politics, networking across the NHS and with Government. Some of this is terribly exciting, and some of it quite mundane. Then there are the days when I still actually “Teach” – and these remain the best of my days.  My first passion is being a nurse, my second passion is teaching nursing.

So ultimately that simple reply to that simple question - “Still Teaching Dave?” - “Yes – still Teaching” is strangely profound.  Still Teaching after all these years and still loving it......

"@DonnaCardilloRN: Blessed are the nurse educators, for without them none of us would be nurses!" @JuneinHE @Bartontd