Nursing & Midwifery - Things to do over the Summer

The beginning of your course is not far away, and we're really excited for you to officially join us at London South Bank University (LSBU)! If you're looking for ideas of things to do over the summer related to your degree, our academic team have given some suggestions of things you might be interested in reading, watching, listening to, doing, and following.  These activities will give you a deeper insight into the history of healthcare, a better understanding of a career in healthcare, or help you to prepare for your studies.

These are all friendly recommendations - it's completely up to you how much (or little) you decide to do!

See & Do

There are some great museums and exhibitions in London with a focus on the human body and history of healthcare:

Wellcome Collection, NW1 2BE

Being Human | Wellcome Collection

Wellcome Collection is a museum and library that explores the past, present and future of health. Being Human explores what it means to be human in the 21st century. It reflects our hopes and fears about new forms of medical knowledge, and our changing relationships with ourselves, each other and the world."

The Florence Nightingale Museum, SE1 7EP

www.florence-nightingale.co.uk/whats-on/

The Florence Nightingale Museum celebrates the life and work of the best known figure in nursing history. They have free tours, immersive sessions where you can "meet" Florence Nightingale, and hands of activities in the oldest surviving surgical theatre in Europe.
Science Museum, SW7 2DD

www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/understanding-body

The Science Museum offers free entry. The Who Am I? interactive gallery allows you to explore the characteristics that make humans a successful species, such as personality, intelligence and language, and the Medicine gallery reveals moving personal stories and provide a rich historical context for our experience of medicine and health today.

RCN Library and Heritage Centre, W1G ORN

The Art of Nursing | News | Royal College of Nursing.

The Royal College of Nursing is holding an exhibition called "The Art of Nursing" . This new major exhibition presents art by and about nurses, launching the 26th of June 2025.

For more ideas of things to do over the Summer, take a look at freetoursbyfoot.com/medical-museums-london

Bethlem Museum of the Mind, BR3 3BX

https://museumofthemind.org.uk/visit

Located in the grounds of one of LSBU's NHS partner trusts, the Bethlem Royal NHS Hospital, the Bethlem Museum of the Mind records the lives and experience and celebrates the achievements of people with mental health problems. It also delves into the history of mental healthcare. It destigmatises mental illness through its challenging displays, exhibitions and extensive educational programme.

Read

Books

A star denotes that the book is available to borrow from the LSBU library once you become a student.

Call the Midwife:  A True Story Of the East End in the 1950s - Jennifer Worth*

How to be a Successful Nursing Student: New Notes on Nursing -  Natalie Elliott Check out the sample chapter on amazon written by LSBU Senior Lecturer Phill Hoddinott and Lecturer Jen Hanley

How to read a paper : the basics of evidence-based medicine and healthcare - Trisha Greenhalgh*

Introduction to Nursing for First Year Students - Professor Calvin Moorley*

The Language of Kindness – A Nurse’s story - Christie Watson*

This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor - Adam Kay

What Makes a Good Nurse: Why the Virtues are Important for Nurses - Derek Sellma*

View recommended books in Amazon

Handbooks

A star denotes that the book is available to borrow from the LSBU library once you become a student.

Oxford Handbook of Adult Nursing*

Oxford Handbook of Children's and Young People's Nursing*

Oxford Handbook of Learning and Intellectual Disability Nursing*

Oxford Handbook of Mental Health Nursing*

Oxford Handbook of Midwifery*

The mental health nurses handbook - online resource from the NHS

View recommended books in Amazon

Blogs, Journals & Articles

The value of nursing

An commentary piece published for International Nurses Day in the British Journal for Nursing written by Phill Hoddinott, Senior Lecturer at LSBU

How caring during lockdown inspired me to lockdown on career goals

A blog by LSBU 1st year Mental Health Nursing student Alexander Callis

I wanted to broaden my understanding of midwifery globally

LSBU Midwifery student Carly Davis discusses her experiences during an elective placement abroad

Learning to celebrate small successes as a student

Blog sharing advice to nursing students by LSBU Alumni Simran during her time as a Mental Health Nursing student

The 6Cs should be included in higher education to support mental health

LSBU Nursing & Midwifery Associate Dean Dr Josephine NwaAmaka Bardi on supporting student's mental health

Watch & Listen

24 hrs in A&E - Documentary series

Watch on Channel 4

Documentary following one of Britain's busiest NHS A&E departments. Watch on Channel 4.Watch on Channel 4

Florence Nightingale - Drama

Watch on BBC iplayer

BBC iplayer drama about the life and career of famous 19th century nurse Florence Nightingale, who changed the face of patient care and brought about the development of nursing as a professional career.

SAGE Journal of Child Health Care podcast

Listen via the SAGE website

Each episode of this podcast focuses on a piece of international healthcare research. LSBU Lecturer Dr Liz King speaks with the authors of selected research paper from the SAGE Journal of Child Health Care. You can listen via the website link above, or in Apple Podcasts.

Follow & Join