Victor Ohanuzue
An international student, Victor has always been driven by his passion for helping others and has always aspired to work on the front line of healthcare, supporting patients when they need it most.
His course, taught and accredited by the University of Worcester, has already given him hands-on experience though a range of NHS placements.
“I’ve really enjoyed the placements,” he said. “I had a long placement on the theatre ward, and that was incredible; it’s a different ballgame to what I’d seen on my other placements. I was there for nine weeks, assisting surgeons and working in infection control.”
Placements are a fundamental part of training for a healthcare career. Students wear their uniforms, work directly with real patients, and learn alongside qualified NHS professionals.
Victor arrived on the course with plenty of volunteering experience in healthcare settings. In fact, he even returned to one of the wards he had once volunteered on, this time wearing his nursing uniform.
As with all study at degree levels, there are challenges. “The lecturers at Dudley have given us the tools we need with our academic tasks,” he said. “Without them, what would I have done?! They introduce us to new assignments in a way that sets us up for success at the end of the task. The lecturers don’t just impart knowledge to you at Dudley, they teach you how to use it correctly, we are really lucky to have them here at the Dudley campus.”
Victor was one of the very first students to study for his degree in Nursing in Dudley, and has so far been learning at the Black Country & Marches Institute of Technology, a short walk away from where the brand-new higher education and skills building has been built.
He’ll complete his third-year classes in the new building and says the whole cohort of students are looking forward to it.
He said: “We’re all very excited for the new building. We have been watching as it has been built, and it is great to see how different it looks now. We’re all very excited to be among the very first students to go and study there.”
“The building will make a difference,” he added. “When you see it now you can visualise what the atmosphere will feel like in there, and you know it will impact positively on our studies.”
He added: “We’ve been promised a tour of the inside as soon as it’s ready, we’re all excited for that!”
Victor said the group of students has already formed a strong bond.
“We’re like brothers and sisters!” he said. “Everyone knows everyone, and we all understand each other. We study together in the same environments, we talk about our work, and we often call each other to discuss assignments. That’s what I’ll remember most; learning together.”
Being able to study in his hometown has made a huge difference to Victor.
“I’m here in my own environment,” he said. “I always say, I’m studying on a campus that’s behind my door; I can go to campus and study and then be back home in 10 minutes, and I never worry about traffic making me late.”
Victor affectionately calls the area his “knowledge village.”
He said: “Being in my home environment gives me the consciousness to study. It means so much to be able to do my course here where I live. On my breaks I can go for a walk, hear the animals in the zoo, and come back to class feeling refreshed; it really helps you work.”
Victor says the location of study has been a talking point over the years.
“It’s not just for me, it’s for my co-students as well,” he said. “A lot of them feel the same, they say that the Dudley campus is helping people in the region who now don’t have to travel to go to university; we feel at home.”
Victor smiled: “I’ve even met people on my placements who are studying elsewhere, and when I tell them I’m studying in Dudley they are envious of me!”
It won’t be long before Victor joins other front line NHS staff permanently, and he can’t wait to continue his learning journey.
“I’m excited to learn more things at University, and for the staff at the hospital to teach me deeper things on the wards,” he said. “I’m very optimistic for the future that I’ll do well when I qualify, because I’ve been massively helped by the University and the lecturers, and at the hospital I’ve been helped by the NHS staff.”
One moment stands out for him.
“A nurse once said, ‘it’s ok, I have Victor here…’,” he said. “Frankly, that made me feel mighty! I felt like part of the team. Another nurse even told me to come back to their team when I qualify.”
For now, Victor is focussed on enjoying his course, building lasting friendships and preparing for a career that allows him to make a real difference; all while studying right on his doorstep.