Today is International Nurses Day and it gives us all a chance to thank Nurses across the country for all the hard work they do. Here at PrimeLife we feel that Nurses working in Social Care are sometimes overlooked in favour of the NHS and today we would like to celebrate the amazing work they do.
Olesya from Rutland Care Village would like to share her story about working for Prime Life and what it is like to be a nurse.
“My name is Olesya, and my job role is Peripatetic Clinical lead. I have worked in my current job for nearly one year, but I also worked as Quality Matters Manager in 2018. . The picture is a satirical sketch of myself. It was a beautiful gift that I’ve got from my lovely team at Rutland Care Village.
I am RGN qualified in 2007. When I moved to the UK in the same year together with my family, I started my career from the bottom. I was an HCA, then a Staff Nurse, then a Nursing unit Manager, and eventually Home Manager and Clinical lead. I know what it’s like to be at each stage so I can empathize with HCAs because I’ve been there. Leadership for me comes in all sorts of ways. I have to be a leader for my colleagues, for my residents. It’s not about telling people what to do and hoping they do it. No, it’s about just doing the best you can to inspire others to do the best that they can to be their best selves. It’s not about management and ordering people around. It’s about sharing positive things. It’s about sharing your experiences!
In this Covid – 19 era, there have been many challenges with changing practices, mostly involving increasing safety for residents and staff alike. I like to feel that I have been able to draw from my previously gained knowledge and nursing experience, by working and adapting to all our new challenges locally, nationally and globally.
With all the changes I have experienced due to the span of time I have been nursing, together with all my different experiences over the years, the most important advice I would give to my younger self is: Do what you love and love what you do, never lose your humility, and always be ready for change.”
Vicki Shaw the Workforce Development Director here at Prime Life would like to share a very special message.
“I would like to give a massive ‘Shout Out’ to our amazing Nurse Managers, Clinical Leads, Nurses, Nurse Associates, Trainees and Student Nurses that are working within Prime Life Nursing & Residential Homes.
The role of a social care nurse is complex, takes an enormous amount of skill and a role to be celebrated. Our nurses’ role model, take high levels of responsibility and great trust is placed on them. Our nurses carry in-depth knowledge of our residents through close relationship-centred care and their high levels of autonomy mean that they have influence over hospital admission avoidance whilst managing long term and enduring conditions. They are multi-skilled, highly professional and yet not always championed in the same way as the NHS.
International Nurses Day gives us the opportunity to shine a light on this fantastic group of staff who have been on the front line over the past 12months+, they have carried on regardless, been there to support the care teams, families, other professionals and of course our residents. I am sure that many of them will have shed a tear when holding the hand of a resident in their last moments of life, providing comfort when families could not be there.
You are often unsung heroes so please use International Nurses Day to walk tall and shout from the rooftops how brilliant Social Care nurses are! Thank you for today and every day.”
Gemma Beeson the HR Director here at Prime Life would like to share a very special message.
“Prime Life are proud to celebrate international Nurse’s day.
To all our nurses, who have shown that extra strength and resilience over the last year, your compassion, optimism and kindness do not go unnoticed by our residents, families and colleagues. We appreciate you today and every day!
Thank you!”
Thank You to everyone who shared with us this International Nurses Day, and Thanks You to all our dedicated and hard-working Nurses! You truly are all Heroes.