Devoted nurse retires after 50 years on the job

A nurse who has dedicated 50 years of her life working for the NHS is hanging up her uniform.

Posted on in News & Events

Joan Rogers, staff nurse, is retiring after spending the last 10 years working in Grantham’s A&E.

The 68-year-old, who was born and raised in Liverpool, started her nurse training at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital just weeks before her eighteenth birthday.

Joan went on to work at different hospitals within the city looking after poorly children, even travelling up and down the country to care for them on their way to intensive care.

In 2007 Joan moved to Grantham for love and applied for a job at Grantham and District Hospital. She was offered a position as a staff nurse in A&E and went on to spend the next 10 years looking after people of all ages from the local area.

Joan’s retirement was marked with a special lunch where the A&E staff presented her with a cake in the shape of a nurse’s tunic.

An emotional Joan said: “I haven’t prepared a speech because where would I start? The last 10 years have been interesting to say the least! With my paediatric background I’d had a ‘license to be silly’ and it took me a while to get used to looking after adults again, or ‘big patients’ as I call them!

“During my time here you’ve all supported me through so much – you’ve all been fabulous. You’ve been such a good group to be part of, I’ll miss you all so much…and thanks for letting a scouser be part of your team!”

During her retirement from United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Joan plans to spend some time resting and recuperating before jetting off to see more of the world and spending some quality time with her eight grandchildren.