Nurse has worked every Christmas Day for 40 years
CARE HOME MANAGER LANDS TOP NATIONAL AWARD FOR GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND
AN INSPIRATIONAL nurse who has worked every Christmas Day for 40 years has been honoured with a top award.
Karen Davies, 58, has been awarded the Gold Chief Nurse Adult Social Care Award, which recognises those who go above and beyond to make outstanding contributions in the field.
She was nominated for the national award by her colleagues in recognition of her skill, expertise and compassion.
The mum-of-five, from Bury, received the award in an online ceremony with the Department of Health and Social Care’s Chief Nurse, Deborah Sturdy.
After 16 years as registered manager at Rose Court Care Home in Radcliffe, Karen is set to retire from her post.
Karen, who trains other nurses to manage care homes and is an honorary lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University, told the M.E.N: “I am very, very shocked and absolutely delighted at receiving this award. I am rarely stuck for words, but I couldn’t even speak. I was very teary-eyed. My family were over the moon.
“I am blown away by the recognition – it’s such a lovely feeling for people that you respect so much to recognise what you do.”
Her dedication is highlighted by the fact she has been on duty at Christmas and New Year every year since 1982.
She said: “Christmas 2022 will be my first Christmas since 1982 that I will have not been working or on call. I have always made it my business to visit my care home on Christmas Day.
“Being on call in a care home means you are conscious of who is not well, who needs help, who has got Covid and so on. I have to make sure the right skillset is there, so we can deliver care appropriately and safely.
“If you’re a nurse, then you commit to giving up Christmases, and the long shifts are a given. You might get fed up about it, but nurses generally have a good laugh.
“You can make the most of that situation – you can celebrate Christmas on another day with your children. It’s not being an angel or a hero, it’s what you do when
you are a nurse.”
Nursing has been gran-of-four Karen’s passion since she began her training in 1982.
She went from being a community nurse to the social care sector.
During the pandemic, Karen sat on the Greater Manchester Infection Prevention Control in Care Homes Cell panel with other public health officials.
They delivered webinars on the government’s Covid guidance and supported care home managers across Greater Manchester to provide the best care possible.
Karen said she will miss her job at Rose Court, which is managed by HCOne.
She said: “Oh my goodness, we have had tears – I will really miss the care home residents and the whole team at Rose Court. We are a family. We spend so much time together and we look after each other. I have finished what I wanted to do at Rose Court and it’s time to pass it on – I couldn’t imagine being a care home manager anywhere else.”
Retirement plans for Karen include going on holiday and spending time with her loved ones, but she aims to continue utilising her nursing skills with further opportunities.
Rachel Bradbury, interim managing Director at HC-One, said: “Karen has truly gone above and beyond to provide the kindest care to residents living at Rose Court Care Home and support to colleagues, relatives and those within our local community.”