Meet Our Southern Nightingales

A day in the life of our Southern Trust Nightingales….

2020 has been recognised as the “International Year of the Nurse and Midwife”. A cohort of 15 nurses and midwifes from across our directorates have been given the opportunity to undertake the Nightingale Programme.

Although COVID-19 stalled the programme temporarily, it has now recommenced allowing this group of staff to participate in a range of developmental and leadership opportunities.

We have asked them to reflect on their experiences as young leaders whilst working during the COVID-19 pandemic and hope to present their journeys over the coming months.

• Michael McMullan, Mental health Nurse based in Community Addictions

  Michael has compiled his reflection into a poem:

   

  Coronavirus (March 2020)

  On every news channel

  There’s an eerie sense of doom

  With the constant echoing message

  Of “the worst will be here soon”

   

  We’ve only got the start of it

  There’s plenty more to come

  So please wash your hands

  After you wipe your bum

   

  Things are getting worse

  New measures are now in place

  Stay six feet from others

  And don’t touch your face

   

  Cough into a tissue

  Or sneeze on your sleeve

  Disinfect the house

  After the neighbours leave

   

  The panic has set in now

  Around the world as a whole

  We’re running out of patience

  And fighting over toilet roll

   

  Pasta is getting scarce

  Hand-gel I cannot find

  People are going crazy

  And starting to lose their mind

   

  We’re feeding our fears needlessly

  Heeding stories from any source

  It’s only the advice from specialists

  We have to listen to and endorse

   

  Schools are now closed

  And social distancing is key

  Stopping this coronavirus

  Is down to you and me

   

  So distance yourself from others

  Don’t let them in the house

  But there’s no getting rid of

  The children or the spouse

   

   

  If you have any symptoms

  Like a temperature or a cough

  Please just be sensible

  And isolate yourself off

   

  Take the advice seriously

  And give your doctor a ring

  We have to help one another

  Until we get over this thing

   

  Don’t visit the elderly

  Or those at high risk

  Bring them their essentials

  But make the drop off brisk

   

  This virus has no borders

  Nor does it discriminate

  So if there’s a chance you have it

  You need to hibernate

   

  Be kind to each other

  And go that extra mile

  Help those in need

  And make a stranger smile

   

  For it is in this adversity

  That we will find the value of life

  That respecting others matters

  Whether it’s a stranger or your wife

   

  Don’t leave another to suffer

  In pain or in distress

  It is more than just you

  Trying to survive this mess

   

  We’ll have to be creative

  Playing in our back yards

  Getting out the board games

  Or playing a game of cards

   

  Take this opportunity

  To have some valuable family time

  It won’t always be easy

  Listening to each other whine

  It’s good to see some humour

  When it is done in good taste

  We will get through this hardship

  Like all the others we have faced

   

  But please be sensitive

  And show compassion too

  As people will suffer heartbreak

  They have loved ones like you

   

  So think about the vulnerable

  And only buy what you need

  If we stick together, while staying apart

  We are sure to succeed

   

  In these hard times we will stumble

  But may we never fall apart

  Never give up on each other

  Find the kindness in your heart

   

  So be kind to one another

  And give your hands a good clean

  And as the world comes together

  We’ll defeat COVID-19

   

• Ciara Murphy, Adult Learning Disability Nurse working in Newry and Mourne

  The World Health Organization designated 2020 as the “International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife,” in honour of the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth. Little did I know that indeed it would be the year where we as a nursing profession stepped up to battle the COVID-19 pandemic together.

  I had a dual role during the pandemic. As well as a learning disability nurse working within a community adult learning disability team, I also was a link nurse who supported colleagues in the independent sector, nursing homes and supported living facilities. This role involved training and supporting staff and facilities with infection prevention control measures and the appropriate use of PPE and to ensure that all facilities were aware of the updated PHA guidance at all times. This role gave me the opportunity to upskill myself in areas that typically learning disability nurses do not have the opportunity to which will positively change the way I will work in the future.  We were supported in this link nurse role by senior team leads who communicated regularly with us, this was a wonderful resource to have and showed me the essence of effective leadership, which I hope to model going forward in my career. For me I have grown both personally and professionally and with the added knowledge and skills it helped me gain confidence in providing a leadership role within various settings in relation to COVID-19.

  Key leadership skills that I was able to demonstrate included crisis management, working through competing demands, dealing with difficult situations and having difficult conversations. Subsequently I have gained resilience, self-assurance and composure which will help me to continue in my current busy role and role model for other nurses / staff within my team

  Unfortunately, I had first-hand experience of dealing with a service user and their family who sadly lost their life to COVID-19 during this pandemic. This was a surreal experience for me as a young nurse who had a good rapport with this service user and their family and I had to manage my emotions and maintain composure to ensure I was fully supportive to them all at this time. I was involved in dealing with acute hospital services, disability services, Independent advocacy services, family and legal team and became an advocate for ensuring this patient was cared for appropriately within acute hospital services.  I have developed my skills in relation to ‘compassionate’ leadership, keeping calm under pressurising circumstances and maintaining my professionalism whilst fulfilling my day to day role.

  This pandemic has most definitely changed the way I work as a nurse. It has strengthened my dedication and commitment to ensuring people with a learning disability health needs are met safe and effectively. It has reinforced my leadership abilities and has made me more pro-active in reflecting on previous practice, negotiating and adapting and learning from experiences. It has also allowed me to see true leadership in action, and this is something I aspire to be.

  I have been privileged to work alongside amazing colleagues, fellow nurses, SLTs, OTs, Consultants, social workers and Physios who all have played vital roles in supporting our service users during this challenging and pressurised time. And whilst we continue to respond to COVID-19 in the months ahead I look forward to continuing to rise to the challenge.