Jo is a Matron at one of our community hospitals. She is an inspirational lead nurse.
Jo’s favourite quotes are, "If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion." - Dalai Lama
"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek." - Barack Obama
I asked Jo a few questions to help capture her story.
What was your inspiration to be a Nurse?
Working in a care home as a teenager I worked with a SEN called Chris, she had retired a number of years before but just couldn’t stay away from being a nurse, she loved her job and showed so much kindness, care and compassion I wanted be to like her.
Where did you train?
Salisbury District Hospital What is your Dream Job?
I wanted to be an architect but I have no special awareness and I can’t draw. But as a Nurse I would have loved to have worked overseas maybe a beachside leg ulcer clinic in the Caribbean.
What has been your highlight of career so far?
Doing a presentation for Bournemouth University on Community nursing, standing up on a stage to 200 students and talking with passion what it is like to have a career outside of an acute hospital. Also I am proud to have worked my whole career in Dorset Health Care, I stated as a newly qualified D grade nurse in a community nursing team as one of the first nurse to join the Trust as a newly qualified staff nurse.
Never working in an acute hospital has never held me back. The community is just as dynamic and fast paced just different challenges.
What has been the biggest challenge so far?
I have always challenged myself to do something different, not be constrained by past experience but to draw on it to do something different
What is the daily life of a Matron like?
Every day is different, you have to be able to be incredibly flexible as unforeseen challenges can materialise every day.
What would you tell a future Matron? It’s a fantastic job, varied and very rewarding. Come and spend the day or week with me and see what it’s like.
There is an offer for any future Matrons spend the day with Jo she is amazing.