Homecare Association has published an article about Holly James at Care First 24, and her journey as a newly qualified Nurse to Social Care in their September 2025 Publication.
Here Holly shares her interesting story.
I was working as a beauty therapist when I started doing some part-time work in social care which provided care to individuals in their home environment 24 hours a day.
I initially thought about becoming a midwife, but because I really enjoyed working with individuals who had complex care needs, I decided to change careers and become a nurse. My organisation sponsored me to complete a Nursing apprenticeship, which I finished in June 2025.
Being an apprentice gave me the opportunity to gain experience outside the social care sector whilst training, as all my placements were in the NHS. I enjoyed working in different environments and felt I learnt a lot, but in social care I’ve had the time to get to know and understand each individual and their holistic needs, rather than just the clinical needs. This made me realise I was committed to working in the social care sector when I qualified because I loved having the time to really get to know people and deliver person centred-care.
I started my preceptorship in June, I’m supported by our lead nurse who is my preceptor and we have regular meetings to check how things are going. I’m also supported by the rest of the team, who always have the time and patience to provide advice and guidance. If I have an issue I’ve not encountered before I’ll discuss it with my managers who listen and offer their full support and advice. Although I am still a preceptee, I feel like a valued part of the team, people know me as a person and recognise my individual skills.
I have a wide range of clients, with different needs, including life limiting conditions, dementia and learning disabilities. Every day is different, every new client is different, so I feel I am continually learning new skills. This role gives me the autonomy to practice my skills, although it can be daunting at times, which is why I appreciate the support so much. I’ve enjoyed being able to resolve problems for my clients and sometimes needing to think outside the box.
I’ve also been able to develop my communication and management skills, liaising with the integrated care boards (ICBs) and families, gaining their trust and ensuring everything is running smoothly for the families and clients. This gives me a great deal of job satisfaction.
I manage my own diary, which is something I couldn’t do in a hospital setting. I work partly at home, if I have on-line meetings or care plans and other records to write up. Other days I am out and about working face to face with our clients and staff, completing care plans, MAR charts and risk assessments. I meet with care staff in the clients homes to provide supervision or training and sign off their competencies.
Working in social care is very varied, and I find it really rewarding to work with people and build long-term professional relationships with the team, the people we are supporting and their families. The role can be demanding, but there is no better feeling than when our client’s families are happy with the care they are receiving.
It’s so nice to get positive feedback – It’s made the hard work qualifying worth it.
Thank you for reading this article. If you would like to get in contact with Care First 24 to discuss Nursing Apprenticeship opportunities within our organisation, please call 01732 790001, or email info@carefirst24.co.uk