Celebrating International Nurses Day

This International Nurses Day (12 May) we are celebrating the fantastic group of nurses at NHS Supply Chain.

In total we have 40 registered nurses currently working across the organisation in various roles from our CaPA team (Clinical and Product Assurance) to our Clinical Nurse Advisors through to our Category Tower Service Providers.

Our nursing colleagues provide a myriad of diverse expertise, experience, clinical rigour, passion and insight to help shape the services and products we provide to the front line to deliver patient care.

Each week we will be asking our nurses what Nursing means to them. Let’s start with Tracey, Amanda, Simon, Fay, Claire and Ellie:

Tracey Cammish, Clinical Intelligence Lead, Clinical and Product Assurance

Previously Critical Care Sister

Nurses are the back-bone of care delivery. For me there is not one story that comes to mind about my experience.  What I would say is that I am very proud to be a nurse. The diversity of role opportunities in health care is second to none and in my 30 year career I have embraced those opportunities the NHS offers. What has kept me grounded and focused is my “Why”. Why I do what I do and my why is the key values, principles and sense of purpose of what being a nurse is and the impact that we have…. Being that voice, being that advocate and being part of a profession who’s primary focus is making a positive difference to the people that we care for every day.

Amanda Prados, Clinical Nurse Advisor Yorkshire and Humber

Previously Health Visitor

In training and working as a nurse for many years I have to say that the ‘Best of Nursing’ is in the team support that is given unconditionally. Nurses as a rule do not blow their own trumpet or ask for praise but will always give support, offer a hand at the end of a shift or if a colleague has a workload issue; be that in the acute or community setting. The collective noun for nurses is a Pride and that is what I feel when I think about my profession and everyone who has supported me over the last 30 years. 

Simon Hall, National Clinical Engagement and Implementation Manager
Tower 5: Rehabilitation, Disabled Services, Women’s Health and Associated Consumables

Previously Deputy Head of Nursing

I recently met with the Head of Nursing for a large teaching foundation hospital.  We were discussing the challenges to health service delivery. The challenging situation of an accident and emergency queue came up. She told me this challenging situation was discussed daily, monitoring numbers, staff feedback, risks and issues. I just asked if she had physically seen the queue recently, she looked at me quite surprised and replied:

“Yes about twice a day, everyday I go to the area, in fact I was there this morning before I started work. I thought a quick tea round would just make sure that everyone in these areas; patient/family/ambulance services could have a morning cuppa.”  

This is clearly not resolving the issue, but it made me reflect on how nursing is so much more than care delivery, but the insightful thoughtful consideration of individuals to improve their current position, it just highlighted how such a simple act, could give some small comfort, and a great example of leading by example by the Head of Nursing.

Fay Allen, Product Assurance Specialist Tower 4, Tower 5, Clinical Co PAS Tower 8, Innovation Project Lead.

Previously Ward Sister Male Urology Emergency and surgical admissions

In 2018 my ward and my team were nominated for two parliamentary awards, this really highlighted that being a nurse is not about an individual there are a whole team around and support, and only working together can we achieve the best outcomes for our patients. Nursing is an amazing career with a vast array of opportunity but the one thing a nurse does is drive passion within their team to deliver the best and make a difference to everyone they meet. That is our vocation and our passion.

Claire Dyson, Lead Clinical Nurse Advisor South and London

Previously Patient Experience Matron

I’m in awe of nurses who say the profession was their calling from when they were small children. Nursing wasn’t my first choice of a career, I only ever wanted to be a police officer right up until I was 15 and went to do my trident work experience in a home for young adults with learning disabilities. Caring for someone was fulfilling and I loved the interaction and relationship you could build so went home after the first week and told my mum I’d changed my mind and wanted to be a nurse. She went into full on panic mode because we had 6 weeks to find and apply for a college course for me to start once my GCSE’s had finished and I started a BTEC in Health and Social Care 3 weeks after this.

I have loved nursing from the first day I stepped foot on a ward. It’s a profession I will passionately advocate and promote and I am proud to have seen so many positive changes that mean nurses are now widely recognised now as experts in many fields. I have been privileged to be present while babies have been bought into the world; and held the hands of people leaving it. Nursing has given me some of my best friends (and god-children) and I couldn’t imagine having ever done anything else. 

Ellie Addison, Clinical Procurement and Quality Assurance Specialist
Tower 3: Ward Based Consumables, Infection Control and Wound Care

Previously Army Nurse and NHS Scrub Nurse

As a nurse of over 20 years, I have always been a proud advocate for patients. I’ve been a nurse in various parts of the world from Belize with the Army to Bedfordshire with the NHS!  

When I was in Belize I used to work with the Army Air Corps to provide rapid response with the Forward Aero Medical Evacuation team. I had to train on getting winched up with a patient on a stretcher, something I don’t think I’ll ever forget!