"Be brave!" – A TopUp Nursing student's advice for future students

Richard Sudara is originally from the Philippines and is no stranger to work within the nursing field. After many years of experience at hospitals and the Red Cross in the Philippines, he moved to Finland after seeing a newspaper ad that stated that Finland needed practical nurses. That was ten years ago, during which he worked in eldercare and as an assistant.

“My wife moved here after I did, and she actually did the TopUp Nursing programme first. She was the one who pushed me to apply as well,” says Sudara.

Sudara is currently working as a nursing intern at the cardiology ward of Hyvinkää Hospital. He is grateful for the programme and the teachers, whose support and insights have enhanced his skills, building on his previous studies and experience. 

“TopUp Nursing was so much easier than studying again from the start, and the programme acted as a much-needed refresher course,” he says.

Sudara encourages anyone who wants to move to Finland and wants to expand on their previous nursing education or experience to apply to the programme.

“Be brave. This is a great opportunity which will give students a chance to keep improving and gain wider knowledge. The practice sections of the programme can be extremely helpful in learning the Finnish language as well, as you will usually have an instructor that will help you out.”

The application for TopUp Nursing is open from 23.9 to 30.9. You can read more about the programme here.