Smiles and success at student nursing graduation

Harris-based nursing student Sara Wood-Kwasniewska graduated alongside Olympic curler Eve Muirhead, as last week 17 students from the Western Isles completed their studies with Stirling University.

More than 90 students graduated from Stirling’s BSc degree in Adult nursing, graduating alongside Olympic Bronze medallist Eve Muirhead, who received the award of Doctor of the University in recognition of her outstanding contribution to British sport.

And one of the new graduates is Sara, who opted to change her life completely when she moved from Surrey to the Isle of Harris in 2015 to undertake her Adult Nursing degree after working with the ambulance service in London and the Home Counties after 15 years.

“I wanted to be able to understand and provide the full circle of care for my patients,” Sara said.

“We would roll up outside various Accident and Emergency departments, having delivered quality care to our patients en-route, but I was always interested in what happened next. Were we right? What more could we have done? What more could I learn?”

As well as studying for her degree and continuing to pursue her career in the ambulance service, Sara qualified as a Marine Mammal Medic during her time at University and is now working towards her advanced qualification. She is the Assistant Coordinator for British Divers Marine Life Rescue for the Outer Hebrides Division.

Sara will now commute between Harlow – where she will combine work as a nurse in Accident and Emergency at the Princess Alexandra Hospital with her role as an advanced ambulance technician – and Harris, spending quality time with her family and continuing her marine life rescue volunteer work.

Bsc Nursing

Heather Anne Campbell, Catherine Margaret Drummond, Holly Jenkins, Amanda Joan MacDonald, Erin MacLennan, Eilidh Nena MacLeod, Rachel MacRitchie, Jodie Lee Mitchell, Donna Marie Morrison, Sarah Morrison, Tanya Claire Reid, Eilidh Louise MacDonald Ryan, Angela Joan Smith, Fiona Smith and Sara Louise Wood-Kwasniewska

Certificate in Higher Education was awarded to Annika Wirth