Navigating Nursing Laura Whitehead

In this episode Laura meets with Suzanne Turner who is the Regional Nurse Advisor for Defence Primary Health Care Scotland & Northern Ireland.
Suzanne shares how she trained as a nurse at Anglia Ruskin University after a career as a civil servant with the Ministry of Defence. Suzanne discusses how she worked in the community as a newly qualified nurse, and provides for advice for anyone who also is interested working in this speciality. Suzanne then moved on to a Clinical Team Lead post and shares advice for anyone hesitant to apply for a leadership position. Suzanne talks about how missed working with the military and applied and was successful in getting the Specialist Practice Nurse role at Fort George in Scotland. Suzanne is currently studying for a MSc for Advanced Professional Practice and gives advice for anyone wishing to study at level 7. Suzanne is also a Professional Nurse Advocate and she shares the impact that this training and role has had on her practice. Suzanne discusses her current role as Regional Nurse Advisor for Defence Primary Health Care Scotland & Northern Ireland and how she is enjoying the challenges and opportunities this role presents. Suzanne also shares advice for students, newly qualified nurses or anyone interested in working as a civilian within defence nursing.
For further information please follow:
X = @DMS_MilMed
Linkedin = Defence Medical Services
Insta = @StrategicCommand
UK armed forces
You can browse regular and reservist roles here:
Queen Alexandra’s Royal Naval Nursing Service
Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps
Princess Mary’s RAF Nursing Service
Civil Service
The MOD employs civilians in clinical and other relevant business and technical roles:
Civil Service Jobs
Flexible Resource Pool (Bank)

Sharon Fox is a Regional Nursing Advisor for Defence Primary health Care North region. Sharon shares her nursing career, from being one of the first ‘Project 2000’ nurses having completed her training at Stoke Mandeville Hospital (part of Oxford Brookes University).
She started her career working on a surgical ward and has moved in various Intensive Care settings. Sharon discussed how she moved to Germany and started work in Primary Health care and how her career has progressed since then. She gives advise for anyone interested in this speciality and for anyone interested working with the military as a civilian. She also shares her career goals and aims for the future.
For further information please follow:
X = @DMS_MilMed
Linkedin = Defence Medical Services
Insta = @StrategicCommand
UK armed forces
You can browse regular and reservist roles here:

Queen Alexandra’s Royal Naval Nursing Service
Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps
Princess Mary’s RAF Nursing Service

Civil Service
The MOD employs civilians in clinical and other relevant business and technical roles:

Civil Service Jobs
Flexible Resource Pool (Bank)

Welcome to series 5 of Navigating Nursing. In this series I interview Defence nurses, including nurses working in the regular military, reserves and civil service nurses.
This series highlights the diversity of the nursing profession and aims to inspire nurses, Nurse associates, healthcare support workers and students.
#DefenceNursing #Onemedicalmindset #futureDMS #DMS
Please follow Navigating Nursing on Instagram, Laura Whitehead on X (Twitter) and leave a review wherever you listen to your podcasts.

In this episode Laura interviews Georgie Cox who is an Associate Professor at University of East London. Georgie discusses her career to date and what inspired her to become a nurse. Georgie studied at the University of Westminster and completed a BSc in Physiology and shares how this has shaped has shaped her career. Georgie has worked in education for a number of years and she shares how important supporting students is. She has published a number of articles on hair racism after supporting a student through an incredibly difficult experience and Georgie talks about how this situation was managed and how important it is for us to all call out racism and discrimination.
Georgie recently took part in the 100 Black Women Professors NOW change programme and she talks about how attending this programme has inspired to work towards becoming a Professor in the future. She shares advice for all leaders and aspiring leaders and shares her career aims for the future.

In this episode Laura meets with Tahira Mahmood who is a Bronchiectasis Clinical Nurse Specialist. She discusses her reasons for studying nursing at Bradford University. Tahira worked at Interventional Radiology when she qualified and worked her way up to a band 7. She talks about her experience in mentoring and reverse mentoring and the positive impact this has had on her progression and confidence. Tahira developed a video which was used as part of the international recruitment process, this is available through the link: Interventional Radiology - YouTube
 Tahira discusses her reasons for moving into a new role as a Clinical Nurse Specialist and the challenges of working in a new Trust and being involved in setting up a new service. Tahira is enjoying her role and is splitting her time in working alongside the TB CNS team. She gives advice for anyone interested in being a Clinical Nurse Specialist and shares her career aims.  

In this episode Laura meets with Nathan Askew, a Chief Nurse, AHP and Experience officer. Nathan talks about what led him to apply to be a nurse and why he chose Children's nursing. He gives leadership advice and shares his view that one of the skills of a leader is to bring experts together to share ideas and problem solve.
Nathan discusses his journey through his MSc in Advanced Nursing Practice and gives advice for anyone wishing to study at level 7. He talks about the importance of being flexible when completing post graduate study and how this can help you to develop whilst having a work life balance. Nathan is the Chair of the Association of Children and Young People's nurses, he shares the work he does with this organisation. Nathan also gives advice to anyone in a leadership position or who wishes to apply for one.