Celebrating nurses

This week, I’d like to recognise my nursing colleagues, as we celebrate International Nurses’ Day on 12 May.

When we think about nurses, it is usually their care, compassion and kindness that come to mind first. But there is far more to nursing than these ‘soft’ skills. Behind these values are highly competent medical professionals who possess a wide range of other attributes, ranging from clinical skills to advanced practice.

I am proud of the diverse team of nurses and healthcare assistants we have here at Chestnut Tree House.

Our people come from adult, learning disability and paediatric backgrounds and all of them bring valuable skills to the team.

Since Chestnut Tree House opened 21 years ago, we have had to adapt to reflect the changing needs of the families we support. Children with life-limiting illnesses are living longer, fuller lives thanks to the great strides being made in medical research. We have been recognised for our work in ‘skilling up’ our workforce and last year, our brilliant ventilation nurse, Hannah Lines, won Nurse of the Year at the Wellchild Awards.

Nurses are in a position of great privilege and responsibility. We must use our knowledge and our voices to influence the future health care of our children and young people. This Nurses’ Day, I celebrate and give thanks to my team and nurses around the world working to provide and improve care for patients.

We are currently recruiting for a range of nursing roles at Chestnut Tree House. See all current vacancies at www.chestnut.org.uk/care-roles