International Nurses Day (Sunday 12 May) marks the anniversary of the birthday of Florence Nightingale and is an opportunity to acknowledge the incredible work of nurses across the globe.
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.
Every day our amazing nurses work with other equally amazing clinical and non-clinical professionals throughout the Trust, including therapies, admin, safeguarding, information governance, system support and IT. Working collectively, our teams not only treat and care for people, but also support them to live as independently as possible.
The Trust’s recent CQC report recognised the hard work and dedication of our nursing teams, their specialist skills, and above all, the care and compassion they provide 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:
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. (Nurse, Bladder and Bowel Service)
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. (Community and Specialist Nurse Manager)
I love my job because I manage teams who are fantastic and all work so hard. I am proud of everyone. (Community Nurse Manager)
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. (Nurse, Sexual Health Wirral)
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.
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. (Lead Nurse, Urgent Treatment Centre)
