South Asian Heritage Month: Shaida Ghazala Akhtar shares her nursing journey

My heart was racing as I walked through the doors of East Riding School of Nursing.

“Are you available to start in July instead of September?” a voice had asked me over the phone.

“We’ve decided to have a July intake.”

I was in sixth form when I applied for the three-year state registered nurse training programme. I passed the entrance test and interview, and three weeks after leaving school, I was ready to begin.

My parents were so proud of me. They had emigrated from Pakistan in the early 1960s in search of a better life. My dad came first and settled in the UK before my mum and I joined him when I was two.

My mum was the driving force behind my ambitions. “I want you to become something,” she would say. “I want you to have the opportunities I never had.”

I was the eldest of six girls, with another sibling on the way. At a time when some Pakistani girls faced expectations to marry soon after leaving school, my mum was determined that I should continue my education. When I was given photographs of potential suitors, it was Mum who told my dad: “Not yet – let her study.”

I was the only Pakistani student on my nursing course. There was only one male student, whom I recognised from the interviews; the other students were English or Irish.

Three weeks after I began my training, my mum died, leaving behind a three-month-old baby boy. As the eldest of seven siblings, there was an expectation within the community that I would leave my training and become the mother figure at home.

My dad remained firm that I should continue and fulfil my mother’s wishes. He became my greatest support – a mum, dad and friend all rolled into one.

Throughout my career, being honourable and reputable has been paramount. These values were instilled in me by my parents and gave me a strong work and home-life ethic.

My passion for nursing has never faltered, despite the challenges I’ve faced. Those experiences have shaped who I am today: a British perioperative theatre nurse with Pakistani roots.

When I began my career, there was no one I could turn to who understood South Asian culture. Although my tutor supported my nursing education, there was limited understanding of Pakistani culture and little culturally informed support available when sensitive issues arose.

Few nurses spoke openly about their heritage, and I found it difficult to identify role models with whom I could relate or aspire to follow.

This experience contributed to my decision to co-found the Pakistani Nurses and Midwives Association, helping to raise the profile of Pakistani nurses and midwives living and working in the UK.

We were later invited to Buckingham Palace as part of celebrations marking the NHS’s 75th anniversary. It was a significant achievement for Pakistani diaspora nurses and midwives to have their contribution to the NHS recognised.

Having completed 40 years of service at the time, it was an honour and a privilege to represent Pakistani nurses and midwives at the Palace and to meet His Majesty King Charles III.

Sometimes, it is difficult to believe how far my journey has taken me. Looking back, I don’t think I would change anything. I have no photographs of myself in my nursing uniform, but I have fond memories that will stay with me for life.

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