I started my nursing career in 1985, so it has spanned almost 42 years!
I’d always wanted to be a nurse, like my mum, or a butcher! My dad trained as a chef, and I always watched him cook and helped him out in the kitchen.
I joined the integrated nursing programme in October 1985 and trained at Great Ormond Street Hospital for my children’s qualification and Reading Hospital for my adult qualification, completing both after 4 years.
I was offered a job on an elderly care ward in Reading where I loved working as a student, but my heart was always in caring for children, so I remained at Great Ormond Street Hospital. My first staff nurse post was on a cardiothoracic ward, which was fantastic, and I really loved it.
I realised that the hustle and bustle of London might not be me forever, and while I had learnt a huge amount at such a specialised hospital, and had seen some once in a lifetime conditions, I knew I lacked experience in more common children’s conditions. I made the decision to leave London and headed off to York to a general children’s ward.
From there, I moved to Hull Royal Infirmary and took a staff nurse post on children’s ENT. I ended up seconded into the ward sister post for many months, learning the ropes in leadership and management.
Life then took me south again to Hampshire, where I took up my first substantive Band 7 post in 1996 in Basingstoke, and was tasked with setting up a children’s assessment unit and day case provision. We were linked with the RAF Aeromed team (aeromedical evacuation), and I had the amazing opportunity to go with the team to Gibraltar, to collect a sick baby in a very tiny plane.
I gravitated back to Lincolnshire in 1999 and started as the ward manager on the “old” Lincoln ward here at Lincoln County Hospital, moving it from a surgical day case unit to an emergency assessment unit, now known as Safari Ward.
Between my career moves I had my three children.
Later, I took the ward manager post of the “old” Ruston Ward – now more familiar as Rainforest Ward at Lincoln County Hospital.
I have been the Ward Manager here at Lincoln throughout this time, acting up into the Matron role for several months along the way.
There’s no doubt that being a leader is a tough job, but with a good team behind you (which I absolutely do have) then you can do amazing things.
I have absolutely loved my career, the teams I’ve worked in, and the opportunities I’ve had. We are privileged to look after a family’s prized possession – their child.
The people you work with really do make all the difference, and certainly here at Lincoln, I belong to the best team of staff I have ever come across.
If someone were to ask me now about whether to start their children’s nurse training, I would say absolutely. It is so rewarding, frequently funny, very occasionally sad, and a real privilege to care for babies, children, and young people.