Celebrating International Nurses Day
It is International Nurses Day! At NBT we are celebrating the enormous contribution our NBT nurses make and shine a spotlight on the dedication and expertise nurses show across the world.
This gives us an opportunity to celebrate the large difference our nurses make to so many patients and visitors every single day.
We would like to thank our nurses at NBT by sharing their stories and invite others to celebrate their hard work with us.
Below are stories, experiences and thanks from our nurses in line with Brunel’s 10th Birthday celebration:
Anita Philip, Advanced Nurse Practitioner
Laura Hughes, Advanced Clinical Practitioner and Nonmedical Prescribing Lead
Ros Taylor - Advanced Clinical Practitioner, NMSK
Has worked at NBT for 26 years.
I started at Frenchay Hospital back in 1998 as a basic grade staff nurse so I have been on a bit of a journey. I worked within intensive care and accident emergency and then chose to specialize in intensive care for some years. I became a senior staff nurse in intensive care and then took up the opportunity as the nurse practitioner roles were emerging to step over to work in neurosurgery, which had always been an interest, having worked in a near ITU and since then done further qualifications. So I have been working in Neurosurgery since 2004, where no two days are the same and there is so much to learn. It's fascinating and it is a really good team that we have here at NBT.
I think with such a good team coming across from Frenchay 10 years ago and going into this new building, it is a great place to work. The opportunities that the trust makes available for education and training for staff is excellent, and that's one of the reasons that's helped me get where I am today and one of the reasons I stay working for the trust, it's forward thinking and very progressive.
I want to thank everybody at every level who does such a good job of supporting patients through their journey in the hospital. Without everybody's input, the patients wouldn't get the service that they receive. So everybody deserves a handshake for their input.
Emerline Albano - Clinical Matron, NMSK
Has been at NBT for 22 years
When Brunel first opened I was very excited because I was a senior sister by then. Before joining NBT I was recruited from the Philippines and I moved from the Old South Mead in Elgar House to the new building. I managed to get members of staff from 5 different wards on my new team so it was really good day and I won't forget that day, everyone helping each other through the move.
I am a nurse because I am very passionate in terms of patient care and my team. I managed to go on to the leadership and management of nursing rather than the clinical side of nursing because I'm passionate about my team and patient's experience, it goes hand in hand. If you want to provide good patient care and good patient outcome, you need to have a good staff.
I would like to thank all the nursing staff and especially my colleagues, my bank colleagues and staff who have been at the Trust for 20 odd years. I think it is important to recognize them. They are the bread and butter and some of these colleagues are working on the night shift so we don't see them often, I would like to recognize those staff members because our hospital is safe because of them.
Naureen Samnani, Clinical Education Lead for Nursing Apprenticeship and Preceptorship.
Has been at NBT for almost 5 years and has been a nurse for almost 20 years in various clinical, educational, and leadership roles.
I started as an Intensive Care Unit Nurse at NBT in 2019 as one of the internationally recruited nurses and within a year moved into the Clinical Education department. The most rewarding thing about nursing is it has numerous career pathways, so we just don’t need to stick to one specialty. I have been fortunate that NBT has given me great opportunities and supported me in choosing the career pathway I’m passionate about. We nurse always makes a difference in patient’s life whichever career path we choose.
I would like to give this message to all my nursing colleagues here at NBT that follow your passion, inspire others, and grab any opportunities with a positive ‘I Can’ attitude.
Happy Nurses Day
Katharine Caddick, Consultant Nurse, Hepatology
Has been at NBT for 6 years.
I've worked in Hepatology for 20 years and worked in the BRI for a long time before NBT and set up its Hepatology service. So when I came to North Bristol, we have been able to develop something that's leading the standards for care and makes a big difference.
I find that North Bristol Trust is quite forward-thinking, gives me opportunities and gives every new idea a go so there is much more freedom to make a difference in the Patient setting.
I like my job because I am really keen on advocating for patients, but also I really like the nurse side of it. My focus is to teach, educate and encourage nurses as much as it is to advocate for the patients.
I have a specific Florence Nightingale quote that I is perfect for Nurses Day and that I think might be helpful to future and other nurses
‘Ten times rather, die in the surf, heralding the way to that new world, than stand idly on the shore.’
Siny Thankachan, Clinical Matron, ASCR
Has been at NBT for 23 years.
I came to North Bristol Trust after I was internationally recruited from Bahrain. I was part of the first group to come over. I started in the emergency department because that is where my experience is, and I was working in Bahrain as a senior staff nurse in the emergency department there.
It is always very busy and challenging working in ED and I enjoyed it. Now I am a Clinical Matron, I lead a lot of different teams. It is a totally different role and there is an opportunity to improve my leadership skills. I recently applied for the Florence Nightingale Foundation Scholarship and I got that and now I am looking forward to doing my project to achieve it.
Nursing has always been my passion from a young age, growing up I heard a lot about Florence Nightingale. When my grandmother was ill, I was looking after her and I saw all of the nurses, how good they were with her, and how caring and compassionate, it inspired me and then I managed to get into nursing.
I want to tell others that my journey was not easy, I went through different grades and different roles. I worked really hard for it and I would encourage everybody to do that, you may not necessarily get what you want the first time. You will get the opportunities again, so don't give up and carry on.
Emma Fox, Senior Sister in Centralised Outpatients
Has been at NBT for 21 years.
When I was younger I didn’t really want to be a nurse but I liked the human body so I started at Frenchay as a physio assistant and started to do that part-time alongside another job. As I was walking around the ward seeing all these patients, I saw nurses and thought they are doing some interesting thing so I looked into it and was enrolled in nursing two months later. Initially, I did my training at UWE, so I did lots of placements at NBT and when I qualified I knew I wanted to work in A&E.
Being a nurse is exciting, emotional, distressing, tiring, and happy, you go through a whole range of emotions in one day in A&E. I love my new role in Centralised Outpatients, we are kind of off the radar a little bit and I am working get us on the radar because (10:16) Outpatients is equally as important in the grand scheme of NBT. I feel like every staff member deserves to be celebrated including Outpatients.
Helen Jones, Senior Assistant Nurse, NMSK
Has been at NBT for 30 years.
I joined NBT newly qualified and as I worked here promotions came up and I had the opportunity to move forward. My whole time at NBT I haven't moved wards or departments but I have got to do a lot of courses. I think people really appreciate everything nurses do. My team is very lucky in that because we are planned surgery so when patients arrive they are just grateful. So we start from a better place, than anybody else in other emergency wards in the Trust because they're just pleased to be here and to get it done.
When I leave at the end of the day, I don't have to worry about what is happening at work because of how good my team is. I trust them completely and we all have the same values. That is what I love most about my job I can walk away and go home and know that everything is okay because I have my team.
Bincy Thomas, Lead Nurse, NMSK
Has been at NBT for 20 years.
When I first came over here from India the staff were so welcoming, and I had a very good team to work with. Teamwork plays a major part because whatever you do, depends on the team. You have to depend on others to help you, guide you or support you.
When I come into work I don't know what to expect. Every day is a surprise. And you learn from others, you learn from your patients and you learn new things every day. Especially when you work on a busy ward, you don't know what is coming your way. That is the most exciting thing about the job because it's not monotonous. Every day is an exciting thing, and you get nothing but surprises.