Anna came to England as a fully-qualified Emergency Department nurse, having completed her training in the Philippines followed by seven years working in Singapore.

“Singapore is a very busy, vibrant place with a tropical climate, so Norfolk’s countryside in the winter was the complete opposite of my previous experience!” she said.

“When I arrived in February 2020, everything felt very different, and then the pandemic happened. It was a very difficult time and meant that our induction and the preparation we needed as a group of overseas nurses was disrupted.

“The Practice Development and Education team was amazing – they were so supportive, making sure we had the right learning materials, keeping us on track so we could prepare for our OSCE, an exam assessing your ability to competently apply your professional nursing or midwifery skills and knowledge in the UK if you’ve come from overseas.

“Everyone was friendly and it was lovely to meet so many colleagues from the Philippines, this made a big difference and they were so supportive, helping us with learning tips and testing our knowledge to help us prepare for the exam.

“Once I had passed the exam and working in ED, with guidance from colleagues I was able to settle in well. I enjoy working in ED a great deal, I like the fast- paced environment.

“We’re given appropriate responsibility to use our own decision-making and critical thinking abilities, determining which intervention would be appropriate for each patient and who to prioritise, and there’s always senior support on hand.

“I have found the hospital helpful and really accommodating, everyone is friendly and willing to help and my colleagues and patients are very polite. I’m really proud to work at the N&N.”