Dr Linda Nugent

Dr Linda Nugent recommends faking it and appreciates the peer and supervisor support she received whilst at University.

Your time at the University

I undertook a Masters in Advancing Nursing Practice in the School of Health in Social Science at the University of Edinburgh in 2010. I chose to study at the University as I was inspired by the expertise of the lecturers there and the history of the university. The varied methods of teaching used on the course enabled me to apply skills learned in the classroom into practical situations at work working as a staff nurse in the Royal Infirmary.  Having completed the MSc in 2010, I was motivated and encouraged by my supervisors to pursue goals for myself that I did not think possible. Their support during my MSc facilitated my decision to pursue a doctorate at the University of Edinburgh from 2010-2013.

The School of Health in Social Sciences commitment to professional values in nursing, research, teaching and leadership have facilitated my achievements in nursing practice and academia to date and I am very grateful for that and the opportunities provided to me whilst studying there.

During my PhD journey, I had regular supervision meetings that facilitated multiple critical reflections and evaluations of my progress. These meetings enabled me to proceed through each stage of my research effectively and efficiently. During my studies I was provided with an opportunity by Maggie Carson, Lecturer School of Health in Social Science, to tutor on the online Leadership Exploring your potential course, this provided me with invaluable teaching experience, which I am very grateful for. 

I really enjoyed studying at the University of Edinburgh, it was a beautiful place to live and study especially with the library looking out on to the meadows! There was a great feeling of peer support too from the research students group and I made life-long friendships with other students from all over the world. 

On completion of my PhD, I obtained a post as a Post-doctoral researcher at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) - Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery in Dublin where I felt my research skills gained at the University of Edinburgh stood me in good stead. I was involved in the development and implementation of REACH- A research capacity building programme for Clinical Nurse Specialists and Advanced Nurse Practitioners. Within one year of working, I was promoted to Research Fellow and most recently obtained a job as a lecturer in Nursing at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, RCSI.

The University of Edinburgh’s School of Health and Social Sciences’ commitment to professional values in nursing, research, teaching and leadership have facilitated my achievements in nursing practice and academia to date and I am very grateful for that and the opportunities provided to me whilst studying there.

Alumni wisdom

Keep faking it until you become it.

Leaps in the Dark

Nursing graduates from the University of Edinburgh have become prominent academics, policy makers and innovative practitioners making a national and international impact. The alumni event ‘Leaps in the Dark’ on 4 November 2016 brings together this diverse group of nursing graduates in a mix of plenaries and workshops to document the ‘leaps’ taken by individuals and groups during each of the six decades of our history. There will also be a dedicated session at the Royal College of Nursing International Nursing Research Conference on 6-8 April 2016 for alumni to attend plus a session to be run by current students.

Visit the Leaps in the dark website for more information and to book.