Hodges' Model: Welcome to the QUAD: New student? What's that? You're worried about your finals!

Hodges' model is a conceptual framework to support reflection and critical thinking. Situated, the model can help integrate all disciplines (academic and professional). Amid news items, are posts that illustrate the scope and application of the model. A bibliography and A4 template are provided in the sidebar. Welcome to the QUAD ...

Tuesday, March 24, 2026

New student? What's that? You're worried about your finals!

For a new student nurse, mention of your finals, as in, exams - seems a world-away. After a paroxysmal attack of fear (and motivation!), time resolves. "It's fine. I can relax. We're good!"

Especially so in the pre-Project 2000 days (Swaby, 2021), when nurse education was conducted in more local schools of nursing. You could be forgiven for feeling reassured that there's plenty of time; if your first step was to work as a nursing assistant (or cadet) prior to starting as a student.

Then all of a sudden, you can point to many wornout shoes. You've been busy; helped run a ward, a caseload, a team, and raised a family. And,  while the NHS, nursing, society, and much else besides have continued their relentless pace of change, change and more change.

You blink,* look again and you're starting what will be your final 3-year period of nurse registration. What this will bring: who knows?

Kelly Swaby (2021) Did Project 2000 fulfil the intention set out by nursing’s leadership to create
a profession of highly educated practitioners. Thesis.
https://pure.hud.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/70492399/Swaby_THESIS.pdf

*'Blink' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4f0p5KqdU9U