International Nurses Day 2022 – Celebrating our incredible nursing staff
12 May 22
Today is International Nurses Day (12 May) and the theme is "Nurses: A Voice to Lead - Invest in Nursing and respect rights to secure global health". The Royal College of Nursing is also marking the day with its own campaign titled #BestOfNursing.
Our nursing workforce is compassionate, highly skilled and delivers great care, along with colleagues in other professional disciplines including psychologists and therapists. We have a strong nursing leadership team, with a focus on continuing professional development. As a University Trust, we have close links to the University of Hertfordshire, providing excellent learning and development opportunities for our nursing staff, as well as strengthening clinical research. We encourage our nursing workforce to be innovative; to challenge the way we do things and to be committed to evolving our care practices. They are key to providing high quality care to those who use our services.
Our nursing workforce represents 47 different nationalities bringing with them a wealth of experiences and knowledge and today we celebrate them and say thank you.
Our Chief Nurse delivers a Nursing Masterclass at the Florence Nightingale Foundation Students Day
As part of the Nurses Day events, Jacky Vincent, Executive Director Quality and Safety (Chief Nurse) was a member of an expert panel of nurses and midwifes at the Florence Nightingale Foundation (FNF) Students Day at Kings College London. The day took place for the first time since 2019, bringing together nursing and midwifery students and leaders to network, learn and celebrate their professions.
Jacky is one of only a few Chief Nurses in England who is a Registered Learning Disability Nurse – a testament to her drive and commitment to nursing. She is our Caldicott Guardian and Director for Infection Prevention and Control (DIPC). She is also an Honorary Fellow at the University of Hertfordshire and a Florence Nightingale Alumni.
Jacky said “Nursing is a rewarding and fulfilling profession, with many exciting opportunities and experiences, and one which fills me with pride and privilege. International Nurses Day is an opportunity to recognise, advocate and celebrate our nursing workforce.”
In her role, Jacky provides professional and strategic leadership for Nursing, Social Work, Allied Health Professionals and Psychology, leading on quality regulation (in particular the CQC) and the Trust’s risk management systems and processes, monitoring and learning from incidents, and leading on infection prevention and control, and on safeguarding. Click here to read more about Jacky.
What our nurses have to say
For Mental Health Nurses Day, we spoke to several of our nurses, here is what they shared.
"When you qualify as a mental health nurse, it is like receiving a passport that enables you to travel to places and make a difference to someone’s life. The job satisfaction, as well as making a difference to our society, is arguably the best reward for what we do, and I think it is the main reason why people are motivated to study for and take on this important role."
Bina Jumnoodoo, Deputy Director of Nursing and Quality
The role of a physical health nurse in a mental health setting cannot be over emphasised due to the inter-connectivity between mental health and physical health. Physical Health Nursing role is at the heart of nursing, especially during the pandemic period. Right from the onset of the pandemic, I supported staff to ensure service users are effectively monitored and managed to prevent physical health complications and death.
Ayo Ayeni - Physical Health Nurse
I work as a mental health nurse for the PATH Early Intervention in Psychosis service, who provide a specialist support and treatment pathway for individuals and their families experiencing their first episode of psychosis. As a mental health nurse I feel privileged to be a part of peoples recovery journey and it is very rewarding to know that the PATH team’s input has made a positive difference to someone’s life.
Jessica Kershaw - Community Psychiatric Nurse
Nursing at HPFT
Nursing roles at HPFT offer great opportunities to gain experience in a leading mental health and learning disability Trust. Click here to find out more about nursing at HPFT.
Click here to apply for our nursing vacancies.
Click here to find out more about our people.