What made you want to work in healthcare?
I have always lived in Bristol and grew up in Southmead. Growing up, I knew I wanted to go into healthcare, but I didn’t quite know which route to take. I left school with few qualifications and went straight into working in retail. When I was 21, I was admitted to the hospital for suspected appendicitis, and while on the ward, I was cared for by a third-year student nurse. It was during this time that I had the sudden realisation that if I had put in more effort in school to reach my potential, that third-year nurse could have been me. Once I was discharged, I explored ways to start my healthcare journey. A friend told me about a vacancy at her day centre.
How did you start your healthcare career?
I began my healthcare career as a healthcare assistant (HCA), supporting elderly individuals at risk of social isolation by bringing them to a day centre where they could socialise, participate in various activities, and enjoy a hot meal. After a few years, I felt ready to progress and investigated how I could take the next step into nursing.
Enrolling in a foundation year at UWE led me to start my nursing degree. After four years at UWE, I graduated with a first-class adult nursing degree and then started working at Southmead Hospital. I spent the first few years working on various surgical wards and was part of the team that helped establish a new service, hospital@home. I still feel very fortunate to have been supported and worked alongside exceptional nurses, ward managers, and practitioners.
I moved to Sirona in 2022 after seeing an advertisement for a position in the prevention of admission service. I viewed this opportunity as a way to progress my career and utilise my acute skills.
What do you find rewarding about your role at Sirona?
My days vary greatly, and one of the most rewarding aspects of my role is the ability to work on projects aimed at improving outcomes and patient care while also being clinical and providing care to patients.
I have a strong passion for education and wouldn’t be where I am without the opportunities that education has provided me. Sirona is a large organisation that shares my passion by offering opportunities for individuals to develop themselves and enhance their careers if they choose to do so.
What does a day in your life as a nurse involve?
My role as an Advanced Clinical Practitioner (ACP) for urgent care within an integrated network team is very diverse. I cover the clinical escalation phone to support our community nurses and therapists with urgent clinical needs, including raised NEWS2 scores, patients who have fallen, or patients with hypo/hyperglycaemia.
When I am not covering the escalation phone, I primarily work on the UCR pathway, which is a responsive service for patients who are acutely unwell and at risk of hospital admission. This includes visiting the patient, conducting a physical assessment, and then formulating a treatment plan to enable the patient to safely remain at home or facilitate their admission to the hospital.
Aside from my clinical roles, I am the lead in my locality for students and training, and I have implemented our CLiP principles to facilitate our students’ learning. I have worked on several projects and recently led a clinical updates roadshow for staff across Sirona. I feel very fortunate to work with an incredible team full of fantastic nurses, therapists, and support workers.
What would be your inspiring quote?
“Believe you can, and you’re halfway there”.
