I currently work as a health visitor for NHS highland, a health visitor is a nurse and or midwife who has undertaken further specialist training in early childhood development and family dynamics.

I was working as a midwife and an opportunity arose to apply for a specialist community public health nurse (health visitor) I was already a qualified nurse, midwife and sexual and reproductive health practitioner so was well equipped with the skills and experience relevant to the post.

My most recent qualification is a post grad in child protection which is essential to my role as a majority of my work focuses on safeguarding and risk assessment.

I have always enjoyed working with people and making a positive difference in their lives.

My day  is extremely varied and involves lots of travelling around Cowal

Seeing new babies, visiting nurseries, child protection meetings, referrals to other services such a speech and language and audiology, offering weaning advice, assisting with immunisation clinic.

Meeting new parents and seeing how families develop over a 5 year period.

IT issues as we are now working a lot more from home. Having to find new ways of delivering services to our families.

For anyone entering any sort of nursing or midwifery course the most important skills are communication, self awareness and emotional intelligence.  Caring about others and making a positive difference to the health and well being of your community is vital too.

The beautiful scenery and real community spirit.

It is also a real pleasure to work in a community where I have grown up and lived in for most of my life.

Play is essential for child development.

Messy play helps children make sense of raw materials such as mud, sand, water and paint.

If they could come up with some messy, sensory type safe activities for children which parents could replicate at home.

Or learning more about vaccinations, their history and how they protect children and the wider community.

My email address is: jennifer.meyer@nhs.scot