A few days ago, I celebrated 50 years of being a nurse in the NHS, and 45 of those have been here at CUH. Since I joined as a 21-year-old, I have met and married my husband, had 3 children and spent the last quarter of a century in a role I have been privileged to do. Working here has shaped me as a person, as the hospital has grown around me.
I started my career at the Friarage Hospital, in Northallerton as a nurse cadet with a pink and white gingham nylon uniform. In the first year I washed bottles in the pharmacy, stamped bed sheets, gave out bed pans and learnt how to take temperatures. Becoming a state-registered nurse was a very proud moment; I am still proud to wear the badges on my uniform today.
In 1980 three friends and I decided to move to a new hospital, and we looked at a map to decide where to go. Despite having never visited Cambridge, we all got jobs at Addenbrooke’s. We lived in Duxford House and the hospital only had A, C and D blocks. Our group of friends increased, and the Frank Lee was our life during the three years we lived on site.
I worked in urology as a staff nurse initially, but my heart was set on being a nurse on a general surgical ward. The nursing officer became fed up with me pestering for a job and eventually I got my wish and worked on D7, a general surgical ward specializing in colorectal and hepatopancreatobiliary surgery.
For over 14 years, I was the ward sister and made some long-lasting relationships. I was privileged to work with the absolute gentleman Bill Everett, a very traditional consultant who wore a long white coat. Now Bill is in his nineties, and we still enjoy reminiscing about those wonderful times. One of my most rewarding relationships was with the family of a very young man who died of Cancer on the ward. His parents, Mr and Mrs P sent me a Christmas card every year for over 35 years and said our connection kept their son alive. Three years ago, the card came just from Mr P, and the year after it came just from their daughter, letting me know that her father had passed away. How lucky am I to have fulfilled that role for their family.
Over the years of having my three children, I worked night shifts as a sister covering various wards. Just after my son was born in 2000, I joined the operations centre as night site co-ordinator. The operations centre and the matron team coordinate patient flow through the trust, monitor capacity across the wards and provides clinical support with patient care and decision-making. My development continued in this role, and I had scope to grow over the years with the guidance of incredible senior leaders, including Julie Clayton, Claudia Macfarlane, Julie Smith, Holly Sutherland and Tracy Adams. My favourite time is on a night shift, when I walk along the miles of hospital corridors, visiting wards, supporting staff and seeing patients.
This is the part of my role within the hospital that I have always loved, and this will remain a very precious memory of my career here at CUH.
The NHS has changed so much and the two biggest moments in my time here was when we brought in Epic, our digital patient record system which revolutionised nursing, and going through the Covid pandemic.
I am excited about retiring next year but also anxious about leaving it all behind. This hospital is part of my identity and my life. I have felt so looked after as an employee, patient and when my family have been treated here. All 3 of my children have worked at CUH at some point; Charlotte has since moved away but Alice and Ben are here. They all fill me with pride, and they are equally proud of me reaching this milestone of 50 years of nursing. Working here has enabled me to achieve everything I wanted to in my amazing career, which I wouldn’t have done without the friendship and support from all the wonderful people I have met and worked with. Especially my amazing ops centre colleagues.