To want to retrain as a Health Visitor?

[Featherbag]

I'm a nurse, in an emergency speciality. I've recently had my second, and last baby, and have had widely varying experiences of HVs! HV1 was nice enough but gave me crazy advice about feeding, was generally nuts, and made me take perfectly-healthy-with-a-fabulous-diet-and-appetite DS1 to a dietitian under threat of SS. She, and her colleagues, contributed directly to a fairly nasty period of PND. In contrast, the HV I've had this time around has been fabulous. She's supported me when I needed her to, backed off when I needed her to, given me advice when asked for and backed up her advice with evidence. The difference has been phenomenal - no PND this time, baby ebf, whole family is at ease with her.

I've been thinking about 'the next step' in my career, and have seen that a local trust is advertising for RNs to retrain as HVs, paying my current salary for the year at uni, then starting work 2 pay bands up when finished. It'll be hard work with 2 small kids, but I really like the idea of helping other women have a good experience. Am I fucking crazy?! Will I just end up spouting shite and believing it, like HV1?

I don't think you are. Sounds like a good change in careers

I hope you reported HV1.

Go for it, but get your application in now, those posts are so competitive and they often close them early due to lots of applications. Good luck.

Hm, I think some serious (and fast) thought and discussion with DH is in order!

Go for it! We need more good HVs (like the lovely practical supportive kickass HVs I have had)

A good friend of mine is doing this. Tbh, I think she regrets it a bit. The studying is hard work and the job isn't quite what she thought it would be - lots of "at-risk" children and frightening responsibility. I think she's going to be a great HV and you probably would too, but think hard about whether it's what you really want.

Please do, I've met about 20 hvs and only 2 who I would trust.