Mubashir is an incoming MSc Clinical Nursing student at ARU. He began his career in Pakistan after completing his BSc in Nursing at Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, Islamabad, and is currently working as a registered nurse in Saudi Arabia. We chatted to him about his career so far, his upcoming move to the UK and the challenges that lie ahead.

By Lauren Valentine

• Name: Mubashir

• Home country: Pakistan

• Course: MSc Clinical Nursing

• University: Anglia Ruskin University

• Fun fact: Mubashir has a professional diploma in sketching and oil painting and has so far given around 30 pieces of his work as gifts!

From Pakistan, to Saudi Arabia, to the UK: New environments, opportunities and skills

“Being a nurse is really challenging – especially my first experience in Pakistan with it being a developing country. I was working in a good international hospital, where I learned many things that I’m still building on now, such as time management, coping with stress, communication, decision making and problem solving. I was a PACU nurse there, which meant I received patients directly from the operations room. I also got the opportunity to work with the liver transplant team, where I worked the longest shifts ever!

As part of my degree, I did a one-year internship where I had to rotate my position every two months. I worked in every department, from outpatient, to ICU, to the operating room. The experience was really good for me and I felt my psychomotor skills improving a lot too. Alongside this, I became more aware of the social image of nursing around the world and particularly in my own country, which is a big hindrance in lifting the profession up.

Now I’m a nurse in Saudi Arabia working in the cardiothoracic ICU, in order to boost my experience to fulfil the MSc course requirements. Although the nursing care and theories are universal, I’ve had to learn a lot about Arabic culture and the different norms. I believe that changing your working environment is beneficial in allowing you to learn more about others and apply your knowledge in different scenarios.”

A move to the UK inspired by a friend, prestigious universities and politeness…

“Ever since graduating from my BSc I’ve been thinking about my next steps. I have a friend who went to Bangor University and spent almost 24 years in the UK before returning to Pakistan. He was the biggest inspiration from me, and the best person to go to for advice and information.

I’ve never visited the UK before, but I’ve been learning the language from nursery to graduation. I also know a lot about the history and I’m very excited to visit the monuments! There’s also a great reputation for the top-rated universities and courses. Plus, it’s the land of moral people and politeness – I can’t wait to make friends there!

Although the country will be new to me, I feel able to adapt well since I’ve already had to move away from my home country. I’ve been getting lots of useful information from the chat groups in CampusConnect, as well as videos on Youtube and the internet in general.”

Visas, placements and a pandemic make for challenging times ahead…

“The pandemic has changed many things for me: not only have my working hours increased, but it’s more difficult to organise my departure abroad now too. I’ve applied for a visa, but it’s been difficult to get an appointment for the photo and documents due to lockdown. Flights to the UK aren’t open yet either, so I’m currently waiting to book my accommodation and facing the possibility of starting my course online.

One thing I’m nervous about is the placement aspect of my course. I have to find this myself, so naturally I’m nervous about being unsuccessful in finding one. That would lead to changes to my visa, which would complicate things for me. However, I’ve planned for this by getting in touch with lots of UK friends, and I know the university will support me too.”

Exciting research and sights set on leadership…

“I’m currently working on some interesting research papers, one of which focuses on compassion fatigue in nurses working in critical areas. The other, in collaboration with a previous teacher, looks at the compliance of patients after surgery and how they take medication once they’re discharged. I therefore chose this course to enhance my knowledge as it covers everything from paediatric to geriatric nursing, many of which I’ve studied before but only at a basic level.

In the future, I’m hoping to progress into a leadership role. The MSc will allow me to learn more about how the healthcare system works, and I’d like to bring this knowledge of healthcare infrastructure back to my home country. I’ll also learn the profound skills needed to work in different settings, such as trust management and clinical knowledge. My ideal role would be a director of nursing in a good hospital.”

Mubashir is currently taking his Advanced Cardiac Life Support exam, which includes written and practical components. He is well-equipped to embark upon his MSc and says he’s “really excited overall to have the experience of living and studying in Britain.” We wish him a safe and smooth arrival and the best of luck for his course!

Want to chat with Mubashir? Find him on social media:

Twitter: @mubashveil

Facebook: Mubashir Iqbal