Jenny, Inpatient Ward Manager

Why did you become a Nurse? 

I didn’t train to be a nurse until I turned 30 – so was a late comer.

Why have you specialised in palliative care? 

My mum had gone through a year of cancer treatment before she died, I had been to every appointment with her and had a lot of exposure to the NHS as a relative of a patient. I went on to have my daughter a year after she died and decided it was now or never for a career move and decided to take the plunge into nursing.

What do you love about being at Arthur Rank Hospice Charity and helping our community?

There is no better feeling of really making a difference to a patients journey and being able to guide and support both them and their families.

Where & when do you work these days?

I work on the Inpatient Unit and manage 47 members of staff.

I work from 9.00am-5.00pm Monday to Friday.

I joined just as the second wave of COVID-19 was taking hold. I hit the ground running with the decision making and implementing of ever-changing guidance, increase of bed availability to assist the hospital creating interim beds & visitor testing to name a few!

Coming from a large acute hospital I was delighted to find a supportive and inclusive #Team Arthur. I felt listened to and valued straight away.

The Inpatient unit has 21 beds currently split into two different patient groups.

We care for up to 12 Specialist Patients. These patients can have very complex needs including symptom control and/or psychological and social needs. Family support is a very important part of the holistic care we give to patients and their loved ones. Our specialist patients can be admitted from the community or from a hospital setting, being referred in by a healthcare professional.

We have 9 nurse-led-bed patients, these are patients that have been admitted from Addenbrookes for the last days of their lives.

I work closely with the CUH palliative care team to manage the smooth running of the service and the collection of data to support evidencing the service.

Part of my role as manager also includes:

• Management of nurses, healthcare assistants, ward clerks and housekeepers – recruitment/management of sickness/annual leave/rostering/training/appraisals
• Attending meetings on the IPU teams behalf.
• Overall management of PPE, data collection, audits & Sentinel’s to reflect, enhance and improve our service in the future.
• Meet (virtually currently) with our finance team regularly to manage the budget.

I am never bored!

What has surprised you about what how you and/or your team have adapted since the pandemic hit?

There have been so many changes that have happened/evolved over my first 9 months. I have been, and still am, in awe of the overall positive ‘can do’ attitude my team have had during the many many changes we have had to embrace.

I also want to add, I have been amazed at the rapid response of the volunteer support we have needed at different points in the pandemic journey.

Best thing about what you do?

The best thing about what I do is working with the wonderful team I have on the Inpatient unit, collectively making a difference so many patients and their families!

I wake up every morning looking forward to coming into work and knowing we are making a difference!

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself that people might not know or be surprised to learn:

A random fact!? I have been trained by milliner Phillip Treacy how to wear a hat correctly!

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Could you Sponsor a Nurse? 

Without our dedicated, and specialist nurses we could not achieve the vital care patients in your local community need. Could you help us to ensure our nurses are there for those in your street, the next village, and across our county facing a difficult time in their life?  Please see our Sponsor a Nurse page to find out more.