Nursing Beyond the Ward

The Covid vaccine and masks. Subjects I am spoken to about on a daily basis at work and out of it. I have even been tagged on Instagram in debates about whether it should be mandatory for healthcare workers to be vaccinated or not. My opinion is that the vaccine should be a personal choice and I don't think any government should have the power to impose medication of any sort on a person. My opinion on masks is that unless you have a truly valid medical reason for not wearing one, what possible harm can it do to put one on when required? The point of them is to stop the spread from you, not to you, and I think wearing one shows that you respect those around you. Choosing not to simply because you don't like it isn't an excuse. What is important when deciding whether to have the vaccine or not, regardless of your profession, is that your sources of information are trustworthy and reliable. I'm sure anti-vaxxers will step in here and tell me that the government are not pr...

I recently read Claudia Winkleman's book Quite where she makes it clear she is not a fan of yoga. She's been known before to describe it as smelling of 'smug and hummus'. While this is amusing, conjuring images of teachers dressed in wheat wafting around an incense filled studio, I actually feel sad that Claudia has never experienced the true benefits of yoga. If you've read my book or earlier blogs you'll know that firstly, I suffer with a long-term chest disease, and secondly that I've done yoga for over 20 years now and love it so much I decided to train to teach it in 2018. I've recently read and listened to the experiences of two very successful YouTube yoga teachers who have both suffered severe illnesses and for whom yoga has been a vital component of their recovery and management of long-term conditions. It made me consider my own experience and why yoga means so much to me. I rarely get through a day without practising at some point. It's b...

Firstly, I feel I need to make some kind of disclaimer to make it clear that what I've written here is in no way intended to offend or upset anyone. I've been sitting on this blog for a couple of months now as the topic is a sensitive one and I've been unsure how well it will be received. It may seem that each paragraph swings between opposing viewpoints and that's because I have no idea what the right outcome should be. I’m not here to give answers as I don’t have them but I have had many conversations over the last few months that I feel could raise useful and important discussions. What I have written is based on personal experiences, my own observations and those made by colleagues and other parents. During my time as a school nurse it has been impossible to ignore how many children seem to be suffering with mental health issues. Stress, anxiety and depression are rife among all year groups and there are days when I wonder if there is a child in existence who is gro...

County Lines. Maybe you’ve heard of this, maybe not. But if you are a parent or have children in your life that you care about, it is vital that you learn about it and, most importantly, help to educate them by talking about it. I’d heard of it and thought I had a decent understanding of the subject until recently when my son had, what the police described as, 'a close shave'. I was aware that kids on bikes were targeted for drug running, I was aware that kids who travel in from London by train are a target and I was aware that adults are approaching kids offering to pay for food in return of a favour. These things are happening and if you live pretty much anywhere in England it’s most likely happening in your town. But here’s what I didn’t know and feel a responsibility to share. That the people coercing and grooming our kids may well be an adult in a quiet part of the high street, they may well be an adult hanging around the station or chicken shop but what I don’t think is...

This week I received the news I've been waiting for since Christmas - that shielding is relaxing again and I can finally go back to work! As a nurse I've had a real mix of emotions throughout the last year, predominantly spent at home, but the overriding feeling has been guilt. Guilt that my husband has had to work full time then spend hours queuing to buy our family's food each week. Guilty I haven't been able to support colleagues and patients. Guilt that while so many healthcare staff have had to sacrifice so much, I've been safely tucked up at home.  A few months ago my local paper featured me in an article about nurses' pay. If you've seen my social media or read my letters to Boris you'll know it's something I feel very strongly about. I was surprised by how hateful some of the article's comments were towards nurses, stating that we are 'greedy', 'lazy' and that we 'do a pauper's job' so should 'know our plac...

So Christmas has been turned on it's head like the rest of 2020. Last night's announcement by the government, who seem to have been chasing their tails throughout this whole pandemic, was a real blow to those of us in the South East. Food has been bought, homes have been decorated, presents are under the tree and now we can't share those things with the people we love. But that last sentence is an indicator of how lucky we really are. If we have food, homes to have a tree in, and money to buy gifts we surely are among the richest in the world. And if we have love then we still have the true meaning of Christmas. Whatever your belief, Christmas is about love. And hope. Hope for a better year to come. If you've read any of my writing before you'll know I have a lot of experience with and great affection for the elderly. One thing that strikes me about the people I know and hold dear who are in their nineties is that they have hope for tomorrow. If they didn't, the...

During one of many Covid-safe walks recently my brother Greg told me that I am one of two people he knows who hasn't had a set 'vision' for life. I jokingly asked if he sees me as a loafer with no aspirations but I knew what he was saying was positive.  We were talking about the past year and how it has affected so many people's plans. It goes without saying that 2020 has turned the world upside down and that, understandably, many have struggled with lockdowns, job changes or losses, relationships or illness. More time spent considering personal situations and futures seems to have been a common thread among people I work with and know personally, with many people making quite drastic changes to jobs and home life. As we talked further Greg explained that he sees my lack of rigid planning as a good approach and that it seems to have made me content in life. I'm aware that I do feel content but I've never considered that this may be, in part, because I failed to ...