My name is Emma Ward I am a nursing assistant on Farley Stroke unit Salisbury Foundation Trust.
My journey started on the 5th June 2015. This day became the start of something incredible on my journey to one day becoming a qualified nurse.
I have been with the trust for 23 months now and have developed my personal development a great deal.
I am also a Speech and Language Therapy Assistant and help with the Band 2 nursing assistant induction Essential skills looking at the basic of becoming an effective passionate nursing assistant within the trust.
In 2016 I was nominated by my manager Senior Sister Kirsty Benfield for the Salisbury Trust Pride in Practice award, this was an absolute honour not only to be nominated but to go on to win.
Sister Kirsty Benfield said, “I believe that Emma is the epitome of compassion in practice”
Wow as you can imagine I was and still am overwhelmed.
February this year I was invited to attend the Leading Change Adding value conference in London ran by NHS England. This was an amazing opportunity to meet other professionals who are equally as passionate about developing roles and leading change.
After attending the conference, I came away inspired to lead change within Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust looking at the risk factors with aspiration pneumonia, this is where my unwarranted variation was identified.
The campaign looks at ‘Good effective Mouth care to reduce the incidence of pneumonia, this change not only inspired me but has also gone on to inspire others within the NHS.
Below is what work with the support of my senior team has already began within Salisbury.
Developed a 1 min video, which is now being used in Manchester NHS Trust for training
Design of Campaign logo/Awareness Cards Mouth care champions around the hospital 5 min
Presentation at the safety steering group in the board room about my idea
Presentation at the Pride in Practice conference having discussions with Dr Jacqueline McKenna NHS England
Sign up to safety week offering advice to all Wards
Audits around the hospital looking at costs of equipment
Research from library looking at articles around pneumonia and how other health care professions have looked at change and why it hasn’t worked
Looking at current numbers of pneumonia within the trust
Education for staff Meetings with a physiotherapists and Dr Lisa Hurst speech and language around how they can help #endpjparalysis and seeing if we could work together and improve mobility and effective patient centred care
Networking with Sara Renwick Director of nursing Manchester and Dr Janet Wallace from Australia
Although I still have a long way to go I believe this change can happen reducing pneumonia not only in hospitals but also within nursing homes saving lives and improving care within the NHS.