Celebrating International Nurses’ Day at NCH&C
This Sunday 12 May is International Nurses’ Day: an annual opportunity to reflect on and . This year’s International Nurses’ Day marks 104 years since Florence Nightingale’s birth.
NCH&C’s Director of Nursing & Quality, Carolyn Fowler, shared her thanks to all NCH&C nursing colleagues, including Nurses, Nursing Associates, Healthcare Assistants, and Trainees:
“Each and every one of you plays a crucial role in shaping the future of healthcare, and I want to say a huge thank you for your incredible dedication and compassion, not just today, but every day.
“As we reflect on the past year, we've faced numerous challenges, from strikes and staffing shortages to the ongoing pressures on the NHS. Despite these difficulties, your resilience and dedication have remained unwavering. Looking ahead, I am hopeful that our collective efforts will pave the way for a brighter future, supporting our patients to live as a fulfilled live as possible in their own homes.
“Community nursing holds a special place in my heart, driven by the diversity and challenges it presents. It's where we fight for our patients and advocate for their needs, embodying the essence of nursing values.”
To celebrate International Nurses’ Day 2024, NCH&C nursing colleagues were invited to attend a new exhibition at Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse Museum which explores the history of nursing at the workhouse through textiles.
Making the Rounds was created by local textile artist Connie Flynn, who led a guided tour around the exhibition. Joining from NCH&C were Carolyn Fowler, Director of Nursing & Quality, Donna Todd, Tissue Viability Development Nurse, Megan Cary, Community Nurse, Laura Atterwell, Community Matron, and Theresa Myhill, Community Nurse.
Following the tour, NCH&C colleagues chatted with the museum team, reflecting on how the content of the exhibition resonated with their own experiences of nursing in Norfolk. Carolyn Fowler, Director of Nursing & Quality, said:
“I’m always proud to be a nurse, but the exhibition really reinforced that feeling. Many of us were struck by the similarities of nursing today with what the nurses at Gressenhall experienced over 100 years ago. Of course, it has also been poignant to reflect on the way nursing has changed. Over the years, nurses have pushed forward to make sure we are caring for our vulnerable people in the best way we can, but always striving to do it better. It is amazing to see how far we’ve come.”
As part of our International Nurses’ Day celebrations, NCH&C also invited nurses from across the organisation to share what nursing means to them, and why recognising International Nurses’ Day remains so important. Here’s what they had to say, in their own words…
Ayesha Mitchell, Clinical Lead for North Norwich Neighbourhood & Leg Ulcer Clinic:
“As a nurse, my purpose is clear: to provide care that embodies the compassion and kindness I would wish for myself or a loved one during challenging times. While there have been moments of doubt and contemplation, nursing remains my true calling. Despite the challenges, I cannot envision a career that fills me with the same passion, contentment, and sense of purpose. My advice to aspiring nurses is simple: believe in yourself, embrace the journey, and know that the challenges will be outweighed by the profound fulfilment of making a difference in people's lives.”
Helen Bradley, Quality Matron for Mill Lodge & Children’s Services:
“I continue to be excited about nursing into the future. For children and young people, we are working locally to strengthen partnerships across the health sectors and work together to improve outcomes for children and families. Resources are limited and we must be innovative and collaborative in our approach to achieve this. There are lots of challenges for us to face but along with this are areas for celebration. I have absolutely loved my nursing career to date. Every day has been different; there have been moments of incredible sadness but moments of incredible joy. It has been an utmost privilege to share these moments with some amazing people.”
Poppy Elsegood, Team Lead for the North & West Norfolk Continence Service:
“I love my job; I have a good balance of working with patients and managing the team. What I particularly love about our service is, not only the wide variety of patients that we see with complex medical conditions, but that we have so many options available these days to help treat our patients and not just manage them with products. It really is a great sense of accomplishment when we invest our time working with a patient and can vastly improve their quality of life. We are able to improve the condition of most of the patients we see, and this makes me so proud to be a nurse.”
Head over to our recruitment website, We are NCH&C, to hear even more nurses’ stories and find out more about working in Norfolk’s Community NHS.