Anne is a Community Hospital Matrons whose career has taken her on a journey close to and supporting patient care. She oozes nursing from her being and clearly loves the job and her profession.
Anne when we were talking about blogging said it is important to recognise that a department / hospital / locality / organisation are only as good as the people you’ve got working in these areas and with strong leadership and role modelling it has the full potential to be the best. But to be the best we need both of these elements.
This is palpable when you visit Anne’s hospital.
Anne was inspired to be a nurse by her mum.
‘We lived in a row of terraces and had a lot of elderly ‘Aunties’ and ‘Uncles’ who lived on our street and when they became infirm my Mum and her best friend would go in to them daily and provide basic care washing feeding etc. and I used to go with them to read them stories.'
My Mum was an Auxiliary Nurse (failed SRN) and I used to go to work with her in the evenings and feed the patients. Those were the days before CRB and H&S!’
Anne trained at the South Manchester School of Nursing (Withington Hospital); Wythenshawe Hospital; The Christie Hospital and the Duchess of York hospital)
Anne says the Matron role is her dream job and she loves it!!
When I asked Anne about her career highlight she told me
‘I don’t have one hightlight – It’s all been one big highlight. I’ve had a fantastic career and done things that as a child being with my Mum down our street that I never in my wildest dreams thought I would ever do.’
Anne has started a bereavement café in her hospital she has made a video of this special work please see below.
Anne is a person who believes in equality and one of her biggest challenges is trying to come to terms with the level of inequity she sees all around her in every day working life. She has a very strong sense of justice which is knocked almost every day and feels powerless to do anything about it.
When asked what the daily life of a Matron is like she said
‘A roller coaster! You never know what you’re going to face each day from the ludicrous to the impossible and to the most amazing highs and sense of achievement. Making a real difference to patient care and the well being of staff.’
Anne what would you tell a future matron?
You have to be:
· Mega efficient and well organised
· Have good processes in place
· Tenacious
· Brave
· Adaptable
· In touch with clinical practice
· Know your patients and staff well
Annes favourite quote is
‘If you are neutral in situations of injustice,
you have chosen the side of the oppressor
If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse
and you say that you are neutral
the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality’
Desmond Tutu
Anne is inspirational and ensures all nurses in her hospital benefit from her wisdom and celebrate being nurses.