Making his mark in mental health
Michael Gwizdek graduates with First Class Honours from his BSc in Mental Health Nursing Studies after scoring an exceptionally high average mark of 86.47%.
Mon, 17 Nov 2014 13:53:00 GMT
Michael receives a Chancellor’s Prize for the ultra high average mark of 86.47%
Michael Gwizdek (stood left) is pictured shaking hands with Professor John Playle, Dean of Human and Health Sciences, who is a mental health nurse by profession.
FOR the first decade of his working life, Michael Gwizdek did a variety of jobs, including housing benefits assessment, banking and a marketing role for IKEA. There was also a stint as a special constable. But now a degree course at the University of Huddersfield has launched him in the direction he always wanted to take.
As an exceptionally successful graduate in mental health nursing, he has begun to work full time at an acute hospital ward in Manchester that presents him and his team of new colleagues with a variety of challenging cases.
He is filled with massive enthusiasm when he goes to work every day, says Michael, aged 30. But he returned to the University of Huddersfield for his graduation for his BSc where he scored an exceptionally high average mark of 86.47% for his final two years. This earns him a coveted Chancellor’s Prize – awarded to the students who earn average marks over 80% in their final two years – and the distinction of sharing the second highest mark of all those graduating at the November Awards Ceremonies.
“I absolutely loved the course and now I am passionate about my job. It is something I have always wanted to do,” said Michael, who developed an interest in psychology and mental health care about seven years ago, when his working life was already under way.
Career at the sharp end
While working in a bank in his home town of Rochdale, he also served as a volunteer special constable and regularly encountered people with mental health issues, but he was frustrated that he could not follow through with their cases. He began to think in terms of taking a degree course that would enable him to enter the mental health field and after attending an open day at the University of Huddersfield, he knew where he wanted to come and study.
“There was a really nice, warm atmosphere that was very welcoming. It just felt right to come here,” said Michael, whose course also involved six work placements in a wide variety of health care settings.
Now he has begun his new career at the sharp end, in an acute ward that is the first point of call for patients suffering from conditions including psychosis and serious depression. Medication plays an important part in their treatment, but Michael is developing an interest in psychotherapy.
“This involves listening to the patient, helping them understand what their problems are and then trying to navigate them together and helping to find the best options for treatment.”
After he has gained more experience in his nursing role, Michael’s goal is to work towards a Master’s degree in psychotherapy. During his award-winning BSc studies, he completed a highly-marked dissertation on the subject of meditation and how it can aid the mentally ill.
“In the future, I want my contribution to be about how we can help people without necessarily using medication,” said Michael, who completed a family double when his cousin Kim also graduated from the University of Huddersfield and is now a qualified operating theatre nurse, in post at the Calderdale Royal Infirmary.
