Nurses are honoured at NNUH on International Nurses Day
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (NNUH) will be celebrating International Nurses Day on 12th May to recognise the amazing caring work nurses do and the pride they take in their profession.
International Nurses Day is a global celebration of nursing and nurses and is formally marked on 12th May every year, the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth.
The NNUH is holding an event to celebrate the remarkable difference that nurses make. As part of the celebrations Christina Edwards CBE, trustee of the Edith Cavell Trust, will share her thoughts on the opportunities and challenges facing nursing based on her lifetime experiences of working in the health sector. This will be followed by a talk given by NNUH Specialist Nurse Ruth Harcourt, about the difference nursing makes to patients. As part of her role, Ruth works as a tattoo artist restoring the nipple areola complex for patients who have had a breast reconstruction. The nurse led service was established in 2003. Ruth was also a founder of a patient support group, which has gone on to become registered charity, Keeping Abreast.
There will also be displays about nursing revalidation, patient flow, career opportunities as well as stands from the Edith Cavell Trust, Nurses League and the RCN. At Cromer Hospital, there will also be a display on nursing past and present with some photographs of the old hospital.
Emma McKay, Director of Nursing at the NNUH said: “Celebrating International Nurses Day is a great way to reflect on what makes us proud to be nurses and how our roles help and support patients and their families and carers. It’s also a chance for everyone else in our hospitals, and our patients and visitors to thank nurses for all they do.
“This year we are encouraging our staff to celebrate the fantastic nursing we have here, reflect on their colleagues practice and encourage them think about their own practice.”
Notes to Editors:
The Nurses Day celebration event is taking place in the East Atrium level 1 at 2.30pm on Thursday 12th May.
Case Studies:
Sheeja Thomas, Deputy Sister, Jack Prior Unit
Nurse – Sheeja Thomas, Deputy Sister, Jack Prior Unit
Sheeja trained to be a nurse in India because her mum always wanted one of her daughters to work in the profession. As soon as she started her studies, she fell in love with nursing. She worked as a nurse specialising in dialysis in London for five years before joining the Trust in 2013 as a registered nurse on the Jack Prior Unit. “I’m privileged because the patients are very nice, I love my job,” says Sheeja. “Working with dialysis patients is lovely because I get to see my patients regularly, I get to know them very well and build up a good relationship with them.”
Sheeja was appointed as Deputy Sister in April and has aspirations of becoming a Sister one day. Sheeja says the team on the Jack Prior Unit make NNUH a great place to work, “I’m proud to work at NNUH. The whole team is so supportive, to me, it’s the best place to work.”
Mae Skillen, Student Nurse
Student Nurse – Mae Skillen, UEA 2nd year student
After her A-levels Mae went travelling and volunteered for several health outreach projects and health education in Africa, China and Thailand. Mae says: “I realised that if I wanted to make a big difference to other people’s lives, I would need a nursing qualification.”
Mae started her course at UEA in 2015 and had two placements at NNUH in her first year, on Docking and Brundall wards. She is enjoying her training; “I absolutely love it. What I like the most about nursing is the mix of people you meet, and the unpredictability of it,” she says. In her first year, Mae spotted a patient having a stroke and her quick intervention helped the patient to have a better outcome. “There’s nothing like helping somebody get back to their real life, and to their family and friends, knowing that you played a part in that.”
Mae returns to NNUH in her third year. “I’ve loved my time at the N&N. The facilities are great, some of the best I’ve seen, and there’s a role for every job that needs a role.” She continued: “Every member of staff I’ve come across has been keen to support students, and the CLiP project is fantastic – it’s a brilliant way to support nursing students.”
Mae will be gathering experience in other specialties during her training. “I may specialise as I go on, and I would like to work my way up to become a practitioner one day. I’m settled in Norwich and I really like the N&N so I hope there’ll be some post graduate opportunities for me.”