Every year on 12 May, International Nurses Day takes place to mark the contribution nurses make to so many people’s lives every day.

Over 3,000 nurses work at our Trust and to celebrate International Nurses Day this year, the Trust hosted events to recognise the work our nurses provide to our local community. Tea parties were held at Heartlands Hospital, Good Hope Hospital and Solihull Hospital with nurses asked to bring along an idea for how to improve patient care. Nurses who demonstrated low sickness absence, exceptional work ethic and length of service were also recognised and given special prizes.

Our nursing staff are continuing to ensure the work we do contributes positively to the quality of the patient experience and here at the Trust, we have a set of values our nurses strive to achieve:

• Safety Focused: Make sure all patients feel safe and always highlight any patient safety concerns.
• Professional: Act as a role model to other members of staff and inspire confidence in patients, relatives and colleagues.
• Compassionate: Treat patients, visitors and colleagues with care, dignity and respect.
• Communicator: Actively listen to patients, relatives and colleagues and act upon concerns. Nurses should introduce themselves to patients and visitors establishing eye contact and smiling.
• Patient champion: Always involve our patients and their relatives in care planning and evaluation. Also support and speak in favour of our patients.

Roger Adkins, clinical nurse specialist at the Trust, has been working in the peritoneal dialysis unit at Heartlands Hospital for 16 years and values the importance of being able to communicate with patients. He said: “Communicating and helping patients in any way I can has enabled me to build rapport and make patients feel at ease. Since most patients are with us for a number of years, we are able to build relationships with them.

“The nature of the care on dialysis means we have an opportunity to get to know our patients and discuss any concerns they may have on a regular basis. When you hear patients praising the work you do, it is heart-warming and makes you realise that patients are benefitting from your work.

“As part of my role, I carry out dialysis tests and blood checks on patients and I also work with dieticians. The team in the dialysis unit also teach patients how to carry out dialysis tests.”

For more information on the nursing services the Trust provide, visit the Trust’s nursing website: https://hgs.uhb.nhs.uk/nursing/

You can also visit the Royal College of Nursing website for more information on International Nurses Day:  http://nursesday.rcn.org.uk/

• International Nurses Day is a worldwide event that sees the general public, nursing staff and patients come together to celebrate the nursing profession.