What are the things that make nursing such a unique and privileged job to do?Listening to an elderly gentleman reminisce about serving in both world wars.
Holding a hand and staying with a patient whilst painkillers take effect.
Hearing a child's voice after weeks of ventilation.
Walking down hospital corridors and feeling the distinct privilege of being part of a profession that touches so many lives from birth to death.
These are the parts of nursing that matter. This week I was reminded of the sense of pride that comes with being a nurse.
Attending the Cavell Nursing Trust award ceremony as part of the @WeSchoolNurses team as we were recognised as a runner up for our Leadership within School Nursing was immensely pride provoking in itself. However to see School Nursing being celebrated with three separate categories and such prominence at these prestigious awards was a great privilege.
Meeting School Nurses from around the country and celebrating their stories of excellence and passion for the profession proved a timely reminder that school nurses are indeed achieving great things as we celebrated the following achievements;
• Excellence in School Nursing: Winner – Sandwell Vulnerable Children’s Team. Runner up – Dawn Batson
• Leadership in School Nursing: Winner – Veronica Hetherington. Runner up- WeSchoolNurses
• Innovation in School Nursing: Winner – Outer West School Nursing Team, Newcastle. Runner up – Caroline palmer
It was wonderful to hear HRH Princess Royal mention the particular importance of School Nursing in her speech and for the School Nurses present to have the chance to articulate our attributes directly to Princess Anne who graciously showed a keen interest in our small profession.
However this award ceremony was about much more than School Nursing as Student Nurses and Midwifes also received their well-deserved scholarship awards. During the evening we heard of Edith Cavells lasting legacy as a dedicated nurse who served without discrimination saving lives of soldiers from both sides in the 1st World War. An act for which she was executed for treason. There were also speeches from Simon Knighton and Ruth Sanders evoking a sense of pride around the everyday acts of nursing. We absorbed the magnificence of the beautiful historic venue of Fishermans Hall and gazed across the river Thames to the illuminated shard and down to Tower Bridge. This was different to other ceremonies that I had attended. Somehow less corporate, more intimate and unashamedly centered on the true values of the nursing profession. This was indeed a very special evening.