Student nurse wins recognition for research on ketamine for depression

Ms Okoli came to the UK from Nigeria in 2019 to do an MBA programme at the University of South Wales, but made the decision to switch to nursing after working part time on a mental health ward.

“I’m passionate about research into mental health and about becoming a mental health nurse”

Cynthia Okoli

“During that time I had the privilege of interacting with an exceptional group of nurses who instilled in me the desire to pursue a career in nursing,” Ms Okoli said.

She is now a nursing student at Oxford Brookes University and has undertaken a mental health student hybrid (MESH) placement at Warneford hospital in Oxford.

This is part of a pilot scheme run by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to provide nursing students with research experience while they are carrying out their clinical placements.

As part of her placement at the NIHR Oxford Health – Clinical Research Facility in Warneford, Ms Okoli has been working on a clinical trial into the use of ketamine as a treatment for severe depression.

Although it is known as a horse tranquiliser and a dangerous illegal recreational drug, controlled ketamine use can be beneficial to patients with depression who have not responded to other treatments.

As a result, Ms Okoli was named the “most engaged MESH student” for her work on the project. She said: “We were doing research into ketamine, how it works with depression and how patients react to it.

“I was involved in screening potential participants for the research and was involved fully in all of the research processes.”

Ms Okoli said: “I’m so excited. It shows I made the right decision and I’m passionate about research into mental health and about becoming a mental health nurse.”

Ms Okoli will also be joining the NIHR Nursing and Midwifery table at the upcoming Student Nursing Times Awards ceremony in London on 26 April.