A profession of giving: Thirty years as a hospice nurse

As International Nurses Day approaches, I find myself reflecting on a career that began over three decades ago at Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice.

I started in July 1992 as a State Enrolled Nurse, initially working as a Bank Nurse before being offered a permanent position. Living in Netherton, close to Thorpe Hall, made it even more meaningful, as it meant I could work within my local community.

Perhaps my path into palliative care was shaped through personal experience. At 15, my family and I cared for my Granny at home as she battled cancer – it was a very different experience from the palliative care available today.

Throughout my career, I have witnessed many changes in nursing, but the heart of it remains the same: treating our patients with compassion, care, and support. I look after patients in the same way that I would like my loved ones to be looked after.

Someone once told me, "You are a giver - you never seem to take anything for yourself." That’s probably true, but for me, nursing is a profession of giving.

The kind words from patients and their families, the gratitude, and the moments when someone achieves their goals despite difficult circumstances remind me of why I became a nurse.

As I approach nearly 33 years at Thorpe Hall, I find myself asking what has kept me here for so long. The answer is simple: the privilege of caring for patients, listening to their concerns, and offering support in whatever way I can.

Though I have semi-retired, working only two days a week, my hope is to continue until I reach 50 years from the first day that I started my nursing training - on 7 February 1977 at Charles Frear School of Nursing in Leicester. A real milestone!