STAFF at a Wirral health trust are celebrating the incredible work of their colleagues as part of International Nurses Day.
Marking 224 years since the birth of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, it is an opportunity to acknowledge the incredible work of nurses at home and across the world.
To mark this 'wonderful' day, Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (WCHC) is celebrating with a weeklong campaign, including visits and events for nursing colleagues across the Trust.
As a nurse led organisation the campaign is an opportunity to celebrate and recognise Trust nurses for the care, support and treatment they provide to people and families in Wirral, Cheshire, St Helens and Knowsley!
Expert and specialist nursing teams deliver integrated and responsive services treating people from birth to end of life, both at home and close to home, ensuring essential care continues to be delivered and preventing a visit to hospital.
The Trust’s recent CQC report recognised the hard work and dedication of its nursing teams, specialist skills and the care and compassion provided for local people and families. With an overall rating of Good, many areas of the Trust were described as outstanding, including Community and Specialist Nursing and Sexual Health Wirral.
Paula Simpson, chief nurse at the trust said: "Nursing in the community is a wide ranging profession.
"From health visitors, school nurses and family nurses to district nurses, community matrons and specialist nurses we are invited into people's homes and trusted to deliver exceptional care and support.
"The relationships nurses develop with people throughout their lives are very special. We walk alongside people from the birth of their babies to the end of their lives.
"Our main objective is to help people to thrive, to remain independent for as long as possible and to support them when things get tough."
Reflections from Team WCHC nursing colleagues included one from a nurse who works for the trust's bladder and bowel service.
She said: "I love my job because I can make a difference to patient’s lives.
"The Bowel and Bladder Service can reassure patients and their families that as a service we can greatly improve the patient condition with a very positive experience."
A community and specialist nurse manager for the trust said: "I've wanted to be a district nurse since I was a student.
"I loved my placement in the community and that was it for me. I've been in district nursing for 21 years.
"It's such a supportive environment and such a rewarding role.”
A community nurse manager said: "I love my job because I manage teams who are fantastic and all work so hard. I am proud of everyone."
A nurse who works for Sexual Health Wirral said: "I love being a nurse because we have the potential to make a real difference in people’s lives every day.
"Nursing is about supporting people, making them feel comfortable and at ease and providing reasonable adjustments when needed."
“Knowing that I can commit to the career of my choice, whilst also observing my religious obligations is such a special feeling.
"At the beginning of my career there was some apprehensions, that feeling of being the odd one out, the one with a different appearance, the person of colour. I’m very happy to say all of my apprehensions were unfounded.
A lead nurse in the trust's urgent treatment centre reflected: "Nursing isn’t ‘just a job’. It’s a vocation, a choice made by those who understand compassion, commitment and courage.
"21 years into my career, I know I definitely made the correct choice and am grateful every day for the lasting memories and friendships I have made along the way."
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