Rathfriland<\/a>, is graduating today with a degree in Adult Nursing from Queen\u2019s University Belfast.<\/p>\nGrowing up in a small rural community, and having worked previously as both a tradesman and nightclub doorman, Graham didn\u2019t think being a nurse would ever be a possibility for him.<\/p>\n
He reflects: \u201cAs a young male, going into healthcare wasn\u2019t something anyone ever really spoke about, and nursing wasn\u2019t considered a traditional career for me. Even though I always had a caring side, I never felt like it was something I was allowed to aim for, so I went into trades work.\u201d<\/p>\n
Knowing he was destined for something different, it was his wife, Rachel, also a Nursing graduate from Queen\u2019s, who inspired him to take the leap and pave a new career for himself.<\/p>\n
As Graham explains: \u201cI had always doubted myself academically, and for a long time, I didn\u2019t think university was for someone like me with very few qualifications. But seeing my wife work incredibly hard throughout the pandemic was honestly one of the biggest inspirations in my life, and a huge part of my decision to go to Queen\u2019s. Her dedication and compassion reminded me exactly why I\u2019d always wanted to be a nurse. She\u2019ll never take credit for it, but she was absolutely one of the main reasons why I finally applied.\u201d<\/p>\n
Graham\u2019s mum, Joan, who lives with Multiple Sclerosis, has also always been a driving force for him. It was important for him to understand his mum\u2019s condition better and feel prepared to care for her as things change.<\/p>\n
He describes: \u201cFamily means everything to me and being able to give something back, especially to the person who has always looked after me, feels incredibly important. It\u2019s one of the biggest motivators behind why I do what I do.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/DSC03727.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
When Graham decided to take the leap, he knew Queen\u2019s was the right fit for him. And it was during his time as a student nurse that Graham discovered he had ADHD. Although the diagnosis was emotional for him, it helped to put everything into perspective and answered a lot of questions.<\/p>\n
Graham continued: \u201cI finally had an explanation for all those times I felt different or wondered why I had to work twice as hard as everyone else. But, instead of seeing my past struggles as failures, I was able to credit myself for self-coping and I was proud of myself. My diagnosis has also made me more aware of others who might be fighting the same silent battle and I like to think that has made me a better nurse.\u201d<\/p>\n
With the clarity his diagnosis brought, Graham continued to excel academically, and he went on to achieve many accolades, including runner-up in the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) \u2018Student of the Year\u2019 award in 2025. He was also appointed a 2025 Student Nursing Times finalist for \u2018Most Inspirational Student of the Year\u2019, alongside his array of awards from Queen\u2019s.<\/p>\n
A member of the RCN UK committee and a founding student member of the Queen\u2019s Rural Health Committee, Graham is a national advocate for student nurses and used his time at Queen\u2019s to speak up for others.<\/p>\n
Talking about his advocacy and support he received: \u201cGrowing up rurally and working with people with complex mental health needs made me aware of how unequal access can be. I have experienced first-hand how easily people can be overlooked and slip through the cracks. So, when I arrived at Queen\u2019s, advocating for rural communities, mental health and students facing financial hardship, just felt natural. Queen\u2019s gave me a platform, supported me in meetings with policymakers and encouraged me to lead initiatives.<\/p>\n
\u201cWithout that support, I wouldn\u2019t have been able to make the impact I did. I got opportunities I never dreamed of, but most importantly, I got the chance to ensure the voices that are usually lost in the background were finally heard.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/DSC03701.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Graham knows that he was always destined to be a nurse, and he is proud that he didn\u2019t let the challenges along the way steer him off path. Now living in Portadown and working in the Royal Victoria Hospital\u2019s Regional Coronary Care Unit whilst pursuing his Masters, he is proud to be making a real difference to people\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n
Graham said: \u201cPutting on my blue tunic and seeing first-hand the real-life impact that I am making every day is incredibly motivating and humbling. I have proved to myself that I have always been a nurse at heart, and I think that\u2019s the part of the journey I\u2019ll hold onto the most.\u201d<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Graham Gibson with his wife, Rachel A former tradesman has followed in the footsteps of his wife who…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":309014,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[27341,390,27340,102,2960,913,50,101,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-309013","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-healthcare","8":"tag-armagh-city","9":"tag-breaking-news","10":"tag-county-armagh","11":"tag-health","12":"tag-healthcare","13":"tag-latest-news","14":"tag-news","15":"tag-sports","16":"tag-uk","17":"tag-united-kingdom","18":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/309013","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=309013"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/309013\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/309014"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=309013"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=309013"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=309013"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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