My journey through nursing, leadership, and earning an MBA at Arden University

How it all started

I've been a nurse for 30 years now. I qualified in September 1995, although I started my training back in 1992 at the old Bloomsbury and Islington School of Nursing. I was part of the second cohort of the Project 2000 diploma-style training, coming straight from A-levels. I grew up in Slough, passed the 12-plus unexpectedly, and made it to grammar school.

From a very young age, I knew I wanted to be a nurse. Nothing and nobody could dissuade me. Looking back, my only regret is that I didn’t pursue a nursing degree at the time, even though I had the grades. My school didn’t really promote nursing as a career path. They told me I’d make a “lovely nurse” and sent me on my way. That was it. So I began training at University College Hospital (UCH), London, and I’ve never looked back.

Following my passion

My career has taken me through some fascinating paths. I started in urology at UCH, then worked at St George’s in Tooting, and later moved to Leeds to work at  St James’s. I also spent a few years in industry, focusing on urology and continence, before returning to the NHS as a bladder and bowel specialist nurse in 2003.

That’s when I began working more closely with people with MS. A colleague kept referring people with MSto me, and over time I transitioned into an MS clinical nurse specialist role. I‘ve worked with some incredible teams in Hertfordshire and London, including the National Hospital for Neurology at Queen’s Square. In 2019, I returned to Queen’s Square as a consultant nurse.

That appointment came with a condition: I needed to apply to study for  a master’s degree.

Why I decided to do an MBA

Getting onto a master’s course turned out to be harder than I expected. I had a non-honours degree conversion from Birmingham City University with a distinction, but technically it wasn’t a full honours degree. Still, I had significant experience. By that point, I’d spent three years in management, and Arden welcomed me in.

The MBA through Arden’s Senior Leadership Apprenticeship appealed to me because it was flexible, relevant, and fully funded. My daughter had just started university, and it felt like the right time to do something for myself. My neurologist colleagues joked, “Noreen, why are you bothering? You don’t need this.”

But I did. I wanted to validate myself. I needed the toolkit and the credibility to match the responsibilities I  had. I looked into leadership courses and stumbled across an open session from Arden. The content immediately resonated with me, and I thought, "Why not?"

Getting back into studying

Going back to academic study after eight years was daunting. In my day, assignments were handwritten or saved to floppy disks. Now there was Turnitin, referencing systems, and digital tools I hadn’t used before.

At first, I often found myself crying during coaching sessions. It was overwhelming. But my coach, Asta, was brilliant. Meeting her at graduation was emotional and felt like proof that I wasn’t just a blubbering wreck on Teams.

What stood out about Arden’s MBA was how interactive it was. I loved the group discussions, the shared learning, and the diversity of people. I only wish there had been even more of that.

Juggling work, study, and life

When I started the course, our team was short-staffed, and I seriously considered putting it off. But someone told me, “There’s never going to be a right time. Do it now if it feels right.” My daughter had moved out, and I thought I’d fill the time. I just didn’t realise quite how much time it would take.

Blocking out study time became essential. I used my off-the-job days in larger chunks rather than weekly slots. My team, nurses and consultants alike, felt like they went through it with me.

Graduation day was a huge milestone. I’ll never forget the cheering and laughter from my friends and family as I crossed the stage, mostly out of relief that I hadn’t tripped over in my heels!

The MBA project I’m most proud of

For my work-based project, I focused on talent management in specialist nursing. The NHS is facing a looming crisis as experienced Clinical Nurse Specialists retire, and there’s no structured pipeline to replace them. I proposed a developmental CNS role: a “try before you buy” secondment for junior nurses to build the right skills.

It was strategic, practical, and well received. One of my  organisation’s deputy chief nurses was heading an Enhanced, Advanced and Consultant level practice review within the Trust, which helped give my proposal traction . While recruitment freezes have slowed progress, some of the pharma partnerships I built during the MBA may still help move it forward.

I never imagined I could create something like that, let alone have it taken seriously.

What’s changed since

The MBA has changed how I think. I now approach planning and change with a more structured, measured mindset. I use stakeholder analysis and co-production principles more than ever. I’m also more confident engaging with senior leaders and analytical teams. Before, I might have hesitated. Now, I feel equipped.

It’s funny. Outside the NHS, people react differently when they hear you’ve got an MBA. It opens doors. That wasn’t my goal, but it’s a lovely bonus.

More importantly, it’s made me a better manager. I support others through their apprenticeships with more empathy and structure. I’ve become the role model I once needed. And yes, I’ve already inspired others to apply.

It’s never too late

My daughter recently joked, “Thanks, Mum, you’ve set the bar high. Now I have to get a distinction too.” She’s just starting her own master’s in physiotherapy. In one year, our household managed two dissertations, hers and mine, back to back.

At 51, I’ve still got a decade or more to give. I keep saying  I’ll be working till 67 or beyond, and maybe I will. But I’m proud of what I’ve achieved, especially after years of thinking I wasn’t capable of this.

One thing I’ve learned

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that knowledge really is power. There’s never an easy time to study, but if the opportunity comes along, grab it. I did, and I’ll be rewatching that graduation video anytime I need reminding of just how far I’ve come.