Lasswade printer goes back to the future to begin a nursing career

A former printer from Lasswade has gone back to his old place of learning to begin a career in nursing at the age of nearly 50 years young.

David Easton Graduated with a Batchelor of Nursing with Distinctionat Edinburgh Napier University awards day having studied printing there many years before

David Easton worked for a number of firms after doing a City & Guilds qualification in printing at the then Napier College for three years in the 80s. However, he was forced to rethink his career plans after being made redundant three times, once on Christmas Eve.

A decade on, he has got a significant amount of hospital experience under his belt and has successfully completed a Bachelor of Nursing (Adult) degree at what is now Edinburgh Napier University. And as he celebrated with classmates after the recent graduation ceremony at the Usher Hall, he was looking forward to his first role as a staff nurse in a hospital endoscopy unit.

Dad-of-two David, who turns 50 later this month, said: “I am really looking forward to the challenge. I had always thought nursing would be an enjoyable career because of the way you are helping people caught up in what can be distressing situations.

David Easton with the late Brenda Dean, general secretary of print union SOGAT, at the opening of a new press at MacDonald Printers in around 1990.

“Male nursing was not a popular choice of career when I first left school, although I was always involved with first aid in my role as a printer when there were workplace accidents.

“However, I am proud of the way I fitted in on wards and progressed through to university, which was on a different scale compared to my Napier days, even though I was miles out of my comfort zone among students half my age.”

David worked with Lumsden Bookbinders and MacDonald Printers and helped transform the Edinburgh Solicitors Property Centre’s weekly paper into a full colour title. He also had stints at the Scottish County Press, Johnston Press, Summerhall Press and Scotprint.

However, the rapid decline of the print trade meant he had to pursue fresh challenges.

He said: “My last days in the industry were spent in a variety of large and small companies that were struggling to keep their heads above water and it was evident that the strain was affecting people, both physically and mentally.”

David had been hugely impressed by the healthcare staff who guided his partner through a difficult second pregnancy and a separate serious illness, and after completing a variety of different courses following the 2008 financial slump, eventually chose nursing as his next career.

He started at Liberton Hospital, completed an HNC and progressed to a Bachelor of Nursing degree at Edinburgh Napier.

He said: “University has taught me the fundamental qualities you need to care for people. The facilities at Edinburgh Napier’s Sighthill campus were first class, and the lecturers sometimes amazed me with their knowledge.

“The process has prepared me for working in many different hospital environments and with many different types of character.

“Hopefully, I now have a career which will see me through to retirement and allow me to provide for my family’s future.”