Since beginning her registered nurse apprenticeship at Keele in 2020, Karen Estcourt (formerly, Cotici) has worked on the frontline during the Coronavirus pandemic, been nominated for multiple awards, devised her own management system which was subsequently rolled out to Mid-Cheshire Hospitals and even been personally invited to 10 Downing Street.

“Being a student at Keele has provided me with opportunities and experiences that will only help me to grow as a future nurse,” says Karen.

It’s fair to say that she has fitted a lot into the last three years, and as well as being a mature student, Karen also juggles working at Leighton Hospital in Crewe and raising her four children. It was due to these commitments that, after spending 10 years working as a healthcare assistant, Karen decided to pursue an apprenticeship degree.

“Without an apprenticeship, I would have been unable to complete my nurse training. Choosing an apprenticeship meant that I could further my career and personal development while also continuing to earn a salary. Being a registered nurse has always been my goal so I will forever be grateful for the opportunity,” Karen continues.

Karen has made the most of all the opportunities and experiences that an apprenticeship can provide. Working throughout the pandemic in the Accident and Emergency department of Leighton Hospital, Karen applied the hands-on skills she’d learnt on the job to lessons she’d learned at Keele concerning the innovation and execution of business plans to develop an electronic bed management system which was then distributed across other hospitals in Mid-Cheshire.

She has since been nominated for the Student Innovation in Practice award at the Student Nursing Times Awards 2023 and the Rising Star award at the NHS Parliamentary Awards 2023 (which also saw Karen invited to a private tour of Westminster Palace and to a reception at No. 10 Downing Street).

Karen continues: “I was quite overwhelmed when I found out that I’d been nominated as it was something I could never have imagined would happen. The staff at Keele have been on hand whenever I've needed them, and they have supported me not only with my academic work but when I've wanted to take this further, they have been there every step of the way.”

Karen is looking forward to continuing her career as a registered nurse and has even written a blog for The Queen’s Nursing Institute discussing her apprenticeship and how she felt going on placements as a district nurse after spending 13 years in hectic Emergency departments. Read the blog by clicking here.

Karen also appeared on The Parent Perspective podcast alongside the School of Nursing and Midwifery’s Director of Apprenticeships, Marie Doherty, discussing how apprenticeships are a positive and flexible option for people looking for a change in career. Listen to the podcast here.

Karen said: “Keele has been fantastic. The apprenticeship and university study were all very new and different to my last time in education, plus throw a pandemic into the mix and a new way of learning, but the team at Keele stood strong and their approach to learning and supporting students is outstanding.

“I will forever be grateful for the opportunities I have been given whilst undertaking my Nursing degree with Keele as a Leighton apprentice. I have received nothing but support from the first day.”

Graduating in January 2024, Karen is looking forward to continuing her career and is now working at Leighton Hospital as an A&E staff nurse.