Karl Hunter, Research Nurse

As a research nurse, Karl Hunter has been in nursing for 13 years, with two and a half of them at WUTH. “I knew I wanted to work in healthcare”, he said. “Hospitals seemed like magical places where wonderful things happened. When I looked at the nursing prospectus, it was clear there were lots of options to develop and progress in different ways in nursing, with lots of different specialties to work in. So it ticked all the boxes for me.”

After attending university and qualifying in 2011, Karl first worked in coronary care. Whilst in that role he undertook a research project, and enjoyed it so much he eventually decided to become a full-time research nurse. “It’s amazingly rewarding. You’re introducing patients to new treatments, building relationships with them, and following up. You get to know them, and I really like that. The research studies are hugely varied. Sometimes they are about collecting data, and other times about trying new medications and devices. It’s definitely not just a desk-job!”

“One of the great things about being a research nurse is that I feel like I’m helping the local community I live in”, he said. “I would really encourage others to consider it as a career.”