When I started my nursing career as an HCA, the thing I learnt from day one is how important it is to effectively communicate with people you don’t know – striking up conversation and making them feel comfortable enough to let you talk about their lives. I really enjoy that aspect of nursing.
Today, I think we really need to open up opportunities to do more work experience in nursing, if we are to inspire people to enter the profession. It’s important that young people know that nursing is a profession, and a very rewarding one at that, not only in the difference it makes to people’s lives but the opportunities it provides in terms of career progression and job satisfaction.
The variety of roles across all specialisms is phenomenal, and that variety is something that really gets me up in the mornings. As a nurse consultant I’m involved in a breadth of work, whether its research, delivering care, or supporting staff.
However, the real highlights of my day are always about knowing I’ve made a difference to patients. It goes a long way when I receive a card from a patient, or when I’ve heard from patients since winning the Nurse of the Year award, who are interested in my work on COPD.
It’s these things that fuel my passion and enthusiasm for nursing – providing quality care and education to patients, as well as the excitement of knowing the potential difference that nursing can make to patients’ lives on a wider scale.