Master of My Own Destiny: Progressing My Career While Managing Chronic Migraine

After qualifying as a nurse, Ciara O’Rourke was delighted with her career progression – until the day it stopped. With migraine doing everything to stop her career in its tracks, Ciara shied away from prospects, fearing unsympathetic management and disappointment. This went on for 14 years until, one day, she was given an opportunity she didn’t want to refuse.

Today, Ciara shares five steps she took to become “master’s degree ready” despite chronic migraine.

I started training to become a nurse at the start of the millennium. I was 20 years old, and I had dreams and aspirations of where my career in nursing would take me.

My migraines had started by then but were still mild enough that they didn't cause me too much concern.

Soon after qualifying, I became a staff nurse in a busy neurosurgical ward, and a few years later, I became a clinical nurse specialist in brain injury. I loved my job and was proud of the care and service I provided.

On the other hand, my migraines were also "progressing" during this time and hurting my career.

Migraine was bringing my career progression to a halt

Sometimes, migraine and career progression don't seem to mix. As my attacks and daily chronic headaches got worse, I needed more time off work on sick leave. I was lucky to have an understanding manager who supported me when I needed days off and gave me the leeway to recover when needed.

But even with my manager's support, trying to juggle chronic migraine and career progression was challenging.

I found it hard to seek promotion within the organization for fear of the recruitment manager seeing my sick leave numbers. I was nervous about putting myself forward for further study and training days. It wasn't due to the extra work. Rather, it was down to the possibility that I'd have a migraine on the day and be unable to attend.

Suddenly, I found myself 14 years in the same job, and I started to fear that migraine meant my career progression was over. I was worried I wouldn't find a manager who understood my condition and supported me. There were many times that I would see a job advertised but wouldn't apply as I would always talk myself out of it.

I wouldn’t let migraine keep sabotaging my career

18 months ago, I saw an advertisement for a new role in the hospital that I wanted, and after much deliberation, I applied. I was lucky enough to be successful at the interview, and I set about the new role.

I soon realized my fears were unfounded as my new manager supported my condition and me. This gave me the confidence to grow and develop in the role, and I soon settled in. During one of my meetings with my manager, she asked me what I wanted for the future. She suggested furthering my academic qualifications and applying for a postgraduate master's degree.

I've always shied away from such a suggestion, but this time, I started to think about it more seriously. If I'm truthful, I've wanted to complete my master's for professional development for a long time. I've spent hours thinking about the career opportunities a qualification like this would give me!

5 steps I took to get “master’s ready” with chronic migraine

1. I discussed my needs and the logistics with my partner

The first thing I did was talk to my husband about applying. It was crucial to have his help and support in undertaking the master's degree. We have three children, and I would need him to take on more responsibility at home if I were to succeed.

Thankfully, my husband was incredibly supportive, and I decided to apply.

2. I made full use of the resources my job could provide me

I liaised with the education coordinator in the hospital, and I secured funding for the course. I also secured study leave days to attend lecture days without eating into my annual leave. I started my master’s degree in September last year, and to say I was nervous was an understatement.

3. I asked my migraine healthcare team for some top tips

I quickly found out that year one of the course is very intensive. There are five modules with quite a lot of work in each. I could feel myself getting overwhelmed with the prospect of what lay ahead.

Before I found myself completely lost at sea, I spoke with my migraine clinical nurse specialist. She has always been such a great support and resource for me. She gave me some excellent, practical ideas on how to manage the course while dealing with my condition.

The first thing was not to think of the course in its entirety, but to break it up into modules and tackle each part of the course bit by bit instead. This sounds obvious but it helped me stay calm in the early days. I started focusing on tasks week by week rather than looking at the whole picture.

If there were days I had a migraine, I prioritized rest and recovery rather than trying to struggle through, and this helped a lot.

4. I contacted the course coordinator for advice

My migraine specialist nurse also recommended that I contact the course coordinator and update them on my condition. I did this, and the coordinator was supportive. She gave me great advice on some library resources I'd need and advised me on how to apply for an extension should I ever need one. I hope I don't, but having the choice is great.

5. I worked hard to ensure I could take the breaks I needed

My nurse also gave me great advice about the importance of rest days and taking breaks from the course and work. I didn't see how this would be possible in September as work was so busy, and I had an assignment due.

Still, I submitted the paper before the semester break and managed to spend quality time with the children. I desperately needed some rest, so it was good to have a rest period planned in advance, motivating me to not fall behind.

The takeaway

When you're living with a chronic condition like migraine, career progression and advanced study can seem out of reach, causing you to shy away from opportunities. I, myself, shied away for many years. However, I’m delighted to say that changing my job last year and starting this master's course has been an enormous step forward!

The master's is very intensive, with a lot of work required, but I'm glad to say I'm enjoying it. The coursework is fascinating and has already changed the way I work. It's not easy, and there are times when my migraines get the better of me, but it's worth it.

I'm excited to complete a master's degree and see where the qualification can take me in my career.

The information presented is solely for educational purposes, not as specific advice for the evaluation, management, or treatment of any condition.

The individual(s) who have written and created the content and whose images appear in this article have been paid by Teva Pharmaceuticals for their contributions. This content represents the opinions of the contributor and does not necessarily reflect those of Teva Pharmaceuticals. Similarly, Teva Pharmaceuticals does not review, control, influence, or endorse any content related to the contributor's websites or social media networks. This content is intended for informational and educational purposes and should not be considered medical advice or recommendations. Consult a qualified medical professional for diagnosis and before beginning or changing any treatment regimen.

NPS-ALL-NP-01222 APRIL 2024