This International Nurses Day, we celebrate not only the vital contributions of nurses but also the diverse routes into the profession—each with its own strengths and opportunities. For many aspiring nurses, flexibility, support, and real-world experience are essential to success. That’s where programmes like the Practice-Based Pathway, offered through a partnership between the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) and Lancashire Teaching Hospitals, come into their own.
When Serena Bhogal began exploring the best way to study nursing, balance was her top priority. She needed a route that would allow her to gain practical experience while continuing part-time work. That’s what led her to choose the Practice-Based Pathway—a flexible, innovative programme designed to support people from all backgrounds to become registered nurses.
The Practice-Based Pathway combines academic learning with hands-on clinical experience, offering a supportive and adaptable route into nursing. With a structure that includes two days of placement and two days of university learning per week, Serena has been able to develop her skills in real clinical settings while keeping up with her academic studies and work responsibilities.
“Being able to work part-time alongside my studies has been really helpful in managing everything,” she shares. The smaller cohort sizes also fostered a more personalised and supportive environment, helping her build strong relationships with both tutors and peers.
Serena has also made the most of UCLan’s digital resources, particularly Blackboard, which allowed her to revisit lectures and stay on track with her assignments. “It was great to have access to lectures and materials online, especially when I needed to catch up on things I missed,” she says.
Hands-on sessions at Preston College offered opportunities to practise using clinical equipment and build confidence. These sessions, combined with a wide variety of placements, helped her apply her learning in real-world scenarios.
With three placements each year, Serena has worked across a range of care settings, from ward-based care to urgent care environments. “The placements have been crucial in developing a broad set of skills, and I’ve learned so much from the variety of environments,” she says. While the transition into placement life had its challenges, she adapted quickly and found it to be a key part of her professional growth.
Now approaching the end of her course, Serena feels well-prepared for her next steps. The Practice-Based Pathway has not only equipped her with essential nursing skills but also given her the academic grounding to continue developing in her career.
“The course has been a great fit for me,” she reflects. “I’m looking forward to what’s next in my nursing career.”
For Serena, the Practice-Based Pathway at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals has offered the perfect balance between theory and practice—a flexible, real-world alternative to the traditional nursing degree route, and a powerful example of how alternative pathways can lead to success.
Interested in pursuing nursing through the Practice-Based Pathway? Get in touch with the team at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals to learn more, by emailing study.nursing@lthtr.nhs.uk or join them for their upcoming nursing career clinic on Tuesday, 13th June, 10 – 11am at Education Centre One, Royal Preston Hospital.
