A human resources advisor who goes above and beyond to support our apprentices and a staff nurse who has embraced her nursing career with compassion and enthusiasm are the winners of January’s You Made a Difference awards.
Karen Godfrey joined the Trust in 2007. She started her role in the work opportunities team in 2015, prior to this worked in our staff benefits and recruitment services teams.
When she first joined as a human resources advisor, Karen organised work experience placements, assisted with other widening participation projects such as the Princes Trust, and helped with administration for the apprenticeship scheme.
Over the last two years Karen has become the main pastoral support for young apprentices in the Trust and also supports and guides the line managers of apprentices.
Karen also had a starring role on camera last year, speaking to Matt Hancock about CUH’s wonderful apprenticeship scheme, which he posted on his Twitter feed!
This is reflected in the winning nomination, extracts of which told us:
Karen goes far above and beyond what could ever be expected in this role. She provides pastoral guidance to apprentices many of whom are experiencing working in the NHS, or any workplace, for the first time. Karen maintains regular contact throughout the apprentices’ experience with CUH.
She demonstrates caring, kind and excellent care for our new staff members. Karen has taken it upon herself to follow up and find new resources to guide students in particular times of difficulty. She has used these resources to mentor students of all backgrounds and abilities through what can be a very daunting process. Her guidance in helping students with mental health issues is second to none. We really would not know what to do without her help.
She has guided me through developing our workforce via the apprentice scheme. Apprentices help us to sustain and develop a workforce in the Trust that facilitates us providing safe, kind and excellent services to our patients now and for the future.
Karen represents the values of the Trust more than anyone I know. She is the very definition of above and beyond, investing time and effort to support this vital staff cohort.
Joanne La Verne Sanchez joined the Trust in October 2018 as an overseas nurse practitioner; gaining her qualification as a registered nurse a few months later.
Since then, Joanne has worked on ward C6, embracing her nursing career with compassion and enthusiasm.
Joanne is very caring, always smiling and a great asset to the C6 team. She provides a high standard of care and has received many compliments and positive feedback from patients and their relatives and carers.
Joanne is looking forward to her future at CUH and career progression.
This is reflected in the winning nomination, extracts of which told us:
This nurse is the most helpful on the ward. I can ask for something and she will not walk away and forget. I cannot fault her in any way.
Joanne's bright smile and warm personality radiate from her creating such a comforting, safe atmosphere it's hard not to feel relaxed and welcomed. Changing wards and having to accept a new space, new names and faces is daunting. Joanne's presence eased this process for us.
Sitting on the ward with my sick husband seeing how hard everyone was working. My spirits were lifted by this nurse. The care, the kindness, love and support she gave to her patients and also their families while managing to cope with demanding patients, always with a smile and a kind word. It made me realise what a special care giver she was and how lucky my husband was having her as his nurse!
Joanne is a very caring and loving nurse. She understands and communicates well with all patients. Dealing with patients with dementia is not easy. Joanne does great wonders helping our loved ones. She is an excellent nurse.