Why I became a better change agent for the NHS.

Yesterday was International Volunteer’s Day,  so this weekend we are celebrating our Change Day volunteers, known as ‘hubbies’, who are working to promote Change Day activity across the country.

Today, student nurse Dani Gillett tells us why she was inspired to become a better change agent for the NHS.

"My name is Danielle (Dani) Gillett and I am a third year adult nursing student, at Edge Hill University. Based in the North West , I work in Merseyside/Lancashire and go to university in Ormskirk.

I am dedicated and passionate about nursing and the continual improvement of patient care and experiences through health care. Through the many roles I have participated in, I hope that in the future as a qualified nurse I can make a great difference to patients under mine and the trust’s care, alongside continual personal and professional development.

I was introduced to NHS Change Day 2014, at the launch event in November last year, that I had been invited to though the care-maker scheme. During that event Helen Bevan spoke about the School for Health and Care Radicals, and when I listened to this it inspired me into becoming a better change agent for the NHS, in order to improve patient care.

My greatest passion for nursing is continual patient care improvement and to ensure every patient has a good experience of healthcare. NHS Change Day is a fantastic opportunity for all to help improve the NHS, and make patients all over England have a better experience of health care, and for staff to improve their working environments in order to help them spend more time with patients that need them.

My personal goals for Change Day 2015 are to spread the word of NHS Change Day as much as possible and aid in as many actions I can. To improve patient care is the forefront of why I want to do this, so helping people to achieve this, by being involved in the movement, is the best place to be.

Hopefully by being involved in this it can help me enhance my leadership skills, knowledge of best practice and recent NHS movements, in order to aid me in becoming the best qualified nurse I can be in the future.

Last year I made a few of pledges for NHS Change Day 2014 and would like to continue these forward for the future, as I don’t believe they are a one off.

These were:

• Don’t lose sight of what nursing is truly about!
• Make people aware of NHS Change Day around my university and placement area.
• Make every patient feel cared for and not alone.
• Promote and encourage new dementia friends, by running information sessions.

As a new one for this year, I would like to add that I will actively help and encourage change around the NHS, for a more positive future."