I was delighted to be asked to guest blog this week to mark and celebrate two of the most important days in my calendar – International Day of the Midwife and International Nurses Day.
We kicked off on Wednesday with lots of activity to thank our midwifery colleagues and their teams – and actually I was pleased to see we were also saying thank you to the NHS families behind the scenes who play such a vital caring and support role.
You might have seen we shared images and messages on our social media channels both from our midwifery colleagues to each other but also from the wider Trust and local community, who all recognise and value the importance of this role.
If you haven’t had chance to take a look yet, please do. The content is heart-warming as you might expect but with a very strong and important message that midwives are doing the most amazing things every day.
Thank you to all those who work for the Trust, both in the hospital and in our community settings – I have no doubt your care and support is making a huge different to parents and siblings. It truly is a wonderful role to do.
On Wednesday next week, May 12, we will move the focus to our registered nursing colleagues and do it all again to mark Florence Nightingale’s birthday with the extremely fitting celebration International Nurses Day.
As a registered nurse, this day personally means a lot to me and as Chief Nurse here at the Trust it is also a day that I truly believe we should professionally embrace and celebrate to the max. Unfortunately, this year, like last year, we have not been able to recognise the day quite as fully as we wish we could. But I am sure that come 2022, we will be in a much better place to better celebrate the special day, as all restrictions will be lifted. I'd better get my thinking cap on!
In the meantime, please share your photographs, your memories and your messages to each other on our social channels and make it a day where we celebrate and say thanks for all that our wonderful nurses do.
I have tried to get out and about and see as many people as possible over the last few days and weeks and will continue to do so, along with the nursing and midwifery leadership teams here at the Trust.
We have also sent cards and will be holding virtual events to celebrate together so far as is possible between working patterns, patient safety and Covid restrictions – so it will be different but none the less important.
I am so happy that we have chosen to mark them both with nursing and midwifery colleagues as well as everyone who works here at the Trust and especially, through social media, with our patients and their families.
Providing the opportunity to recognise the amazing contributions that are being made within these teams each and every day is really important. In fact, never more so than this year, when we have lived through what I hope will be the most difficult time we ever face in the NHS.
I am so proud to have been here to support all colleagues through the pandemic. The support shown by them towards each other, patients and families has been incredible and relentless – the emotional and physical burden can never be fully appreciated or repaid.
So, colleagues, I know being in the spotlight is not really your ‘thing’ and that you’re happy doing what you can, when you can, for the simple reward of knowing you were able to help – but, please, stop and take a moment as part of these events. You have been amazing and it’s OK to acknowledge both what you have been through and what you have contributed.
I know from my own experience being in the thick of it is why we signed up to nursing and midwifery and caring for people is what we’re all about. I want to remind you to look after yourself and your families too – without you or them, I dare not consider where we might be.
Lastly, it would be remiss of me in this very special week not to testify to nursing and midwifery as an amazing and fulfilling career choice – and we are always encouraging people to train and also, once qualified, to join our teams.
If you are interested in becoming a nurse or midwife please do click here for more information and if you’re looking for a new challenge or change, you can see all our vacancies here.
I always wanted to be a nurse and I can honestly say I love it. Be great to see you with us, wearing the best uniform in the world some day soon, celebrating these days together with pride.
Take care,
Chris