THE BIG QUESTIONS
WHAT IS YOUR PROFESSIONAL TITLE?
Critical Care Outreach and Resuscitation Practitioner.
WHAT DO YOU DO ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS?
Which translates into me being a specialist nurse with my day-to-day role including seeing patients within the hospital who become critically unwell and advising the team on how best to manage that patient in the hope of preventing an intensive care admission. I also attend all emergency calls within the hospital and teach Doctors and Nurses on various resuscitation courses.
WHAT DID YOU WANT TO DO WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD AND WHAT CHANGED?
I wanted to be a chef because I love the creativity that goes with making food and the joy it brings to people. There is no better feeling. Before chef, I wanted to be a doctor but chemistry and I really weren't friend at school. I still wanted to find a way to apply my desire to help people so nursing was the perfect fit.
WHAT ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS DO YOU HAVE?
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Degree in Adult Nursing
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Post grad dip Intensive Care Nursing
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Post grad dip Neuro Intensive Care Nursing
WHAT’S THE BEST CAREER ADVICE YOU’VE EVER BEEN GIVEN?
Choose something you really love and get someone to pay you for it.
WHO IS YOUR ROLE MODEL AND WHY?
My Mummy. She has this amazing ability to always smile and make everything better … as every Mum I am sure does!
WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR CURRENT WORKING ENVIRONMENT?
Meeting the hundreds of people we treat and being privileged enough to see them at their most vulnerable but hopefully making a positive impact in their care to benefit their future.
WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE ABOUT YOUR DAILY WORK ROUTINE IF YOU COULD AND WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 5 YEARS' TIME?
I would love a fixed working pattern rather than shift work so I could fulfil other interests such as cooking or art. I hope that in 5 years I am working towards a Director of Nursing Role, having completed my Master’s.
DO YOU FEEL YOU CAN BE THE SAME PERSON AT WORK AND IN PRIVATE?
I think it really important to bring your personality into the work place, I think it helps build rapport and strengthen relationships, which my role heavily relies upon. So I try to be myself but obviously have to keep an air of professionalism- it’s a fine balance.
WHERE AND IN WHAT ROLES ARE WOMEN IN THE LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE AT YOUR COMPANY?
Unusually in these times of gender equality, nursing still tends to be a very female dominated profession, perhaps because it is still viewed as a ‘feminine’ one. Consequently most of the leadership structure is female…. These roles include Directors of Nursing, Lead Nurses and Divisional Directors, Matrons and Nursing Practitioners. Outside of nursing our Chief Executive is a woman, with three of the six medical directors also being women.
DOES DIVERSITY MATTER TO YOU?
Of course, it should never not matter!
HOW GOOD IS YOUR WORK LIFE BALANCE?
I used to work night and day shifts, and weekends… so it was truly awful! But since moving into a role where I only work weekdays I’ve made a conscious effort to try and create a balance. I think in my job it’s particularly important to have that balance, we are exposed to a lot of horrible and upsetting situations and so you need a life outside of work to stay sane, distract yourself and remember all the great things!
WHAT QUALITIES DOES BEING IN YOUR ROLE NECESSITATE?
Organised, adaptable, dynamic , empathetic, fair and kind!