Career profile: Kirsty Brooks

Why did you become a nurse?

I am one of those nurses that had always wanted to be a nurse from a child! I can vividly remember at approximately the age of 5 getting my first ‘nurse’s’ kit from Father Christmas and that was it; the seed was planted. At the age of 13, I became a St. John’s ambulance cadet, so I’ve always been very firm with my plan.

I started training at Guy’s Hospital in 1991. Sadly 12 weeks before the end of my training, I injured my back and was unable to qualify. This was my darkest time – I’d always wanted to a nurse and the thought of not achieving this was crushing. I then tried applying to become a prison officer and an RSPCA inspector! Needless to say, and rather luckily, I was unsuccessful.