Royal College of Nursing President visits nurses working on Christmas Day
Royal College of Nursing President Anne Marie Rafferty CBE paid a visit on Christmas Day to nursing staff at London’s St. Mary’s Hospital Paddington, part of the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.
Professor Rafferty met staff working in the hospital’s Emergency Department, who were dealing with a steady flow of patients despite it being Christmas Day.
While at the ED she was able to observe its new rapid assessment triage service, ‘SortED’, being tested. The service helps advanced clinical practitioners, including nurses, move patients through the Emergency Department as quickly and safely as possible.
RCN President Anne Marie Rafferty said:
“While most people were unwrapping their presents and sitting down to their Christmas dinner, nursing staff across the UK were making sure their patients continued to receive the best possible care.
“Meeting nursing colleagues from all over the globe on Christmas Day, I was inspired by their unstinting commitment and good cheer in maintaining high standards of care, and by the speed and sophistication of their decision-making in managing patient flow.
“Being in hospital at this time of year, sometimes away from their families, cannot be easy for patients, and it was uplifting to see nursing staff comforting patients while supporting anxious relatives and relaying what was likely to happen next. The combination of skilled communication and clinical care was a masterclass in multi-tasking.
“I want to thank all nursing staff, both in the NHS and elsewhere, for their outstanding contributions to ensuring patients are well looked after not just over the festive period but throughout the whole year.
“As we approach the Year of the Nurse and Midwife 2020 and bicentenary of Florence Nightingale’s birth, I urge everyone to take a moment to think about the fantastic work nursing staff do on a day-to-day basis across a wide range of demanding and innovative roles.
This is a time to reflect, celebrate and thank nursing staff for their expertise and on-going commitment to our care”
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