Shona Gray

SAPHNA Expert Advisory Group

I trained as a paediatric nurse in March 2000 and worked in the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital. I left nursing for a period of time to have my family and chose to let my registration lapse, however during Covid I decided to return to nursing and enrolled with Robert Gordon University (RGU) to undertake my return to practice course in October 2020. I knew at the time school nursing was where I wanted to end up once gaining my registration back. After a period of time back on the wards I was successful in gaining a Trainee School Nurse post with NHS Grampian and was enrolled in RGU’s MSc in Advancing practice course. I worked full time as a trainee school nurse whilst gaining my PGDip which was extremely challenging while also trying to balance family life too, looking back on my journey I am not sure how I managed to fit it all in, but I guess you just do. I gained my Specialist Community Public Health Nurse qualification September 2024.

I have always wanted to be a school nurse and am passionate about focussing on early intervention and prevention to ensure there are no health and social inequalities that may prevent children and young people reaching their full potential. I enjoy working as part of a multidisciplinary team around the child, to support their health and wellbeing. By working together, we can prevent Adverse Childhood Experiences and reduce health and social inequalities via a focused and targeted strength based, trauma informed approach that respects the rights of the child.

Through my training, I was a SAPHNA member and attended many of the trainee led webinar’s, often being one of the only ones from Scotland, until I managed to share the good work being undertaken with my peers, with others joining in over the course of the 2 years. I am looking forward to working with SAPHNA to raise the profile of school nursing in Scotland.

When I am not working, I will usually be supporting my boys at their various sporting activities or walking my dog with my husband.

You can follow me on X @gray_shona99 or view my LinkedIn profile at https://www.linkedin.com/in/shona-gray-12ba439a/