As a Nurse, you want a career that’s rewarding, diverse and where you feel valued as you care for those who need it most. As an Elysium Nurse, that’s exactly what you can expect.
As an Elysium Nurse you will have access to a range of career development opportunities, with learning pathways and a huge range of courses that will help you grow and succeed in your nursing career. If you have the determination and dedication, we can give you the support and opportunities to help you achieve your career goals.
An example of a Nurse who has excelled in their career at Elysium is Nkoyo Shadracks, Ward Manager at Braeburn House based in Manchester, a service that supports men who have mental health needs. In this article you will learn how Nkoyo started as a Staff Nurse and worked her way to Ward Manager with support from Elysium.
Why did you want to become a nurse?
I have always had a passion about caring and listening to people and do as much as possible to try to help them, even from a young age. It was a real passion for me. Also, I come from an African background and there was a real push from parents to have an excellent career and healthcare was what appealed to me.
I started working in health and social care and then I went ahead to do my nursing qualification at Salford University. When I first started I was also trying to raise a family at the same time – I had two children while I was studying and had to take some breaks so it took a bit longer. But I returned back to study in 2006 and went on to 2008 to graduate, and I was pregnant again. I was pregnant when I started the journey, and I was pregnant at the end of it too! I took up a role when I graduated and was by then a mum of three. My children have grown up along with my career.
Tell us more about your career background?
I started working within a medium secure service which changed in 2014 to become a locked rehabilitation service. It is now a high dependency rehabilitation service, Braeburn House in Manchester. So although the service has changed, I have been here since I started my nursing career.
I am an RMN and I have always been passionate about supporting people in terms of dealing with emotional related needs. You can do your job better if you’re passionate about it and I wanted to go into a field that I was passionate about.
Changing from medium secure to rehabilitation was a massive difference. It did take a lot of change in mindset, routines and ways of doing things. The change was a transformation really but it was an exciting journey to be on.
I started here as Staff Nurse and worked my way up. One of the beauties of being in this field is there are a lot of opportunities for growth. I became Deputy Ward Manager and have now been working as Ward Manager for about eight years.
What is it like working at Braeburn House?
I like working as a Ward Manager at Braeburn. I have great support from my manager and my team and we all work well together. The workplace is like family. We can accommodate each other and I feel I make an active contribution to the team.
Raising a family and having a challenging career in a management role can be overwhelming, but it is rewarding. Now the children are growing up, going off to university and in senior school, I have a little more scope to do more and for my career to continue progressing. Having a supportive and great team to work with is such a benefit.
What is your favourite thing about working for Elysium?
Elysium is a great organisation to work with, it provides opportunities for growth and development for employees.
Working for Elysium has so many advantages such as:
Opportunities to make a difference in people’s lives, fulfilling a dream a lifelong dream of caring for others, opportunities for promotions and career progression opportunities within the organisation.
Within Elysium, it is a much smoother journey to move across different sites and be able to work in different units and gain more experience.
What training if any have you done with Elysium? What’s next?
I have had the opportunity to train as a Safeguarding and PREVENT trainer for Elysium. I also completed Education and Training qualifications which further enhanced my training skills, confidence and competencies.
I am currently undertaking Level 5 Coaching Professional Apprenticeship, that is my current project at the moment. In the field we are in, organisation, the style of leadership is changing and coaching is helpful in a stressful environment. It helps us be able to understand my colleagues and be the best support I can be as a manager.
If you are a newly qualified or experienced Nurse looking for a new opportunity to work in an organisation that will help you to develop and achieve your goals, then Elysium healthcare could be for you. To find a new opportunity at one of our sites across the UK, click here to view our careers page.
Is a Career in Nursing Right for You?
If you have a passion for caring for others, thrive in fast-paced environments, and possess strong communication and problem-solving skills, then nursing could be the perfect career for you. From day to day care to leadership roles, there’s a nursing path that fits your strengths and interests.
As an Elysium Nurse you’ll develop expertise in patient care, medical treatments, and teamwork while making a real difference in people’s lives. A career in nursing is challenging, rewarding, and life-changing. If you’re ready to provide compassionate care and support to those in need, we’d love to hear from you.