Tag: International Nurses Day

Helping Hands: Ruth writes poem in recognition of colleagues for International Nurses Day

An NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde critical care worker has written a poem to recognise the hard work and dedication of colleagues as part of International Nurses Day 2021.
 
Senior Charge Nurse, Ruth Wilson, tells the tale of a nurse’s role through ‘Helping Hands’ which outlines the huge remit and responsibility of nurses in providing day-to-day care. Ruth, 55 from Ayrshire who has worked as a nurse for more than 36 years, sees first-hand how colleagues look after patients on a day-to-day basis. 

Read ‘Helping Hands’ below:
 

Helping Hands

At the start of the day, hands are washed before countless nursing tasks
Protecting ourselves with hand hygiene and professionally fitted masks
 
These hands will wash patients, write careplans, and administer medication
They will clean surfaces and equipment with total dedication
 
These hands will give out meals, make beds, and answer numerous telephone calls
They will guide and support mobilising patients in order to prevent falls
 
These hands will pour cups of tea, tie up linen, and empty patient bedpans
They will secure pumps and equipment to gleaming drip stands
 
These hands will feed and clothe, perform oral hygiene and comb hair
They will fill out fluid balance charts and give regular catheter care
 
These hands will take notes on ward rounds, and order things on “Trak”
They will dispense analgesia, offer a massage or give a soothing ice pack
 
These hands will organise flowers, open cards and tidy the place
They will dress wounds, cut nails, moisturise patient’s bodies and their face
 
These hands will soothe fevered brows through the comfort of touch
They will wipe away tears when it all gets too much
 
These hands will perform CPR and airway skills and really without much thought
Will automatically pilot to the resuscitation skills they were taught
 
They will support relatives with bad news, and patients will be allowed to cry
They will perform last offices when their patients die
 
They will sign discharge letters when people are getting home
They will clean all the surfaces shinier than chrome
 
These hands are priceless hands, helping hands, the hands you hope are there
If you ever get sick yourself, you want hands that care.

RUTH WILSON

NHS Lothian welcomes 910 new nurses on International Nurses Day

NHS Lothian has welcomed 910 new nurses and midwives to support the Health Board to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new recruits are made up of nursing staff and midwives and will be working in the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, the Western General Hospital and St John’s Hospital, Livingstone as well as across the community.

All 910 of the new staff were recruited  through a national effort to boost the workforce during the pandemic and beyond, during the national recovery phase.

One of the new Staff Nurses, Alex Simpson, said: “I’m really enjoying doing my bit to help and the team have been so welcoming and supportive of me.”

Jacqueline Reid, Senior Charge Nurse, said: “What a privilege it is to have all these students volunteer to come and work with us and our patients during the current pandemic of Covid-19. An inspiration to us all.”

Craig Stenhouse, Deputy Chief Nurse for Royal Edinburgh Hospital and Associated Services, said:  “Having the student nurses join our team has allowed us to continue to provide the high level of care we strive for.

“Each of the students I have met so far have been motivated, enthusiastic and excited to start working in their new teams. It is difficult to believe how quickly these new members of staff have become part of our team.”

This year on International Nurses Day NHS Lothian joined health organisations around the world to celebrate the exceptional work preformed every day by nurses and midwives.

Yesterday was the 200th birthday of Florence Nightingale, who is considered to be the pioneer of modern nursing. Whilst the profession had developed considerably since, it continues to evolve in scope and importance and in the range of roles open to the modern nurse.

Gillian McAuley, Nurse Director for Acute Services in NHS Lothian, said:  “One of the biggest challenges  for us right now is making sure we really connect with our patients and their families. It’s an important part of in making sure really outstanding ,compassionate care is  delivered.

“The use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) can create barriers between us and our patients. A lot of nurses have said can be hard when patients can’t see our expressions, like  seeing us smile and of course it’s not possible for a nurse to  give a bereaved family member a simple hug.

“We’ve had to do a lot of work learning how to show our expressions and emotions through our eyes and using other forms of expression. We’ve done things like creating cards called ‘a hug in a card’ to try and keep that connection with our patients and their families.”

Alex McMahon, NHS Lothian Director of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals said: “We’ve had to cancel a lot of events we’d been planning to mark International Year of the Nurse but, despite that, we know there has never been a better time to celebrate nursing.

“We welcome our new recruits who know there  has never been a more exciting time to be a nurse. There are  a whole range of specialisms to choose from and nursing remains a profoundly rewarding and fulfilling  profession.”

Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said: “The recruitment of 910 nurses and midwives is very welcome during these exceptionally difficult times.  

“NHS Lothian will face significant challenges after Covid-19 in improving waiting times and getting patients treated and these new recruits will go a long way to overcoming these challenges.”

Covid nurse pens poignant poem

A Glasgow nurse has put pen to paper to capture the moment she helped a Covid-19 patient speak to their loved ones from their deathbed.

Sarah Pirie (30) from the south side of Glasgow has been a nurse for three years and is working on the frontline, treating Covid-19 patients at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

Sarah said: “It’s the first time I have been so intimately part of a patient’s last words. It was beautiful and heart-warming but also overwhelming. I wrote the poem at the end of this difficult shift during which there had been many tears.

“In our teams we’re getting great support from each other in this very difficult time, but as well as being nurses, we are human beings and we have good days and bad. The poem was just my way of dealing with one of those difficult days.”

Sarah shared her poem with her mum and sister who then urged her to share it more widely.

Sarah then shared in to her Facebook and has been overwhelmed with the result.

She said: “I have been contacted by people as far away as the States and Singapore. I think it’s just struck a chord with people and maybe helped too.

“I hope families take comfort knowing that even if they can’t be there, we are trying to do everything possible to help them stay connected to their families.”

The poem comes at a poignant time, as Tuesday is the International Day of the Nurse, which marks the important role that nurses are playing to support patients at this particularly challenging time.

Tonight I held you,
As I fought back the tears.
And grieved for your family,
That have loved you for years.
 
You became unwell,
There was nothing to do,
We watched through the window,
And increased your O2.
 
I called your family,
To see if anyone could attend.
Your family needed to know,
That this was the end.
 
But this virus is terrifying,
And people are shielding,
How can they be there,
When Covid is so unyielding.
 
I held your hand,
I wiped your face,
My gloved hand on skin,
As your breathing slows pace.
 
You’d still smile behind your mask,
And I’d try smile back.
To comfort and reassure you,
Is now my one and only task.
 
Your family called,
To say their goodbyes,
We stood with the phone,
And listened to their cries.
 
With tears rolling down our faces,
Into the masks we all wear.
We really wanted to help them,
And show them we care.
 
We woke you up,
So you could hear their voice.
We described your actions.
We had no other choice.
 
Their words filled with sorrow,
Their hearts played bare.
They wanted the time,
To show you, they care.
 
You looked peaceful,
And smiled at their call,
I hope it brought you comfort,
Standing there took my all.
 
We deal with death,
But not like this,
No family allowed,
To give you one last kiss.
 
But the next family will need us,
We will need to do the same.
But I hope I gave you good care.
And I will always remember your name.