University of Bolton student and Army Reservist Emma is arming herself with the skills to succeed in her health career

Mum of two Emma Vickers is studying to become an Operating Department Practitioner (ODP), while also two other roles - a mum of two and an Army Reservist combat medic.

Emma, aged 39, started the ODP course at Bolton in September 2021.

It involves 30 hours per week placement at the Royal Bolton Hospital and a day a week at university.

Emma, from Farnworth, said tutors had been very flexible and were quick to respond to changing personal circumstances.

She said: "It is a fantastic course. All the tutors are supportive of both university work and placement.

“Wherever we have concerns, the tutors have stepped in and eased them, or changed training around to meet our needs.”

 Operating department practitioners play a major role in each phase of a person’s operation. They provide high standards of skilled care to support each phase of a patient’s operative care - anaesthetic, surgery and recovery.

They work in the surgery team and manage the preparation of the operating theatres, as well as being the link between the surgical team and other parts of the operating theatre and hospital.

Emma, who lives in Farnworth, just a mile from the hospital and three miles from the University of Bolton main campus, formerly worked as cabin crew for Monarch Airlines which collapsed in 2017.

She said: “I always said that if I stopped working at Monarch, I wanted to go into health care.

“I have really enjoyed the course; we have a completely mixed group and everyone gets on.

"The course will enable me to become a good ODP at the Royal Bolton Hospital and I intend to support of fellow students who choose this career path as much as I can."

 Emma has been a combat medic in the Army Reserve for 10 years and when she qualifies in September this year, she will change to become an ODP within the Reserves. She is now also applying for a permanent role at the hospital.

"I intend to go on operations as an ODP to build on my skills in a different environment and, in turn, bring back to the NHS skills from working in a high trauma hostile environment, as well as offering humanitarian aid in a primary healthcare setting.

Emma has a daughter age 15 and a 12-year-old son and says that juggling work, personal, studying and Reserve commitments is a challenge, but that both her family and the staff at the University of Bolton have supported her.

She said: "I have to be strict with my time and make priorities. This past year I have had to be selfish and turn Reserve work away - my family will always come first over anything.

"My placements are all theatre-based at the Royal Bolton Hospital. I work on rotation between scrub, anaesthetics, recovery and critical care and I am now on the final stretch.

"The ODP is course at Bolton is a fantastic way to learn and I would recommend it to anyone who wants a career in this field of healthcare."