Brixworth care home celebrates International Nurses’ Day

Whilst nursing practice has changed and evolved drastically over the years, Nurses of the past and present share many of the same similarities which is that they are highly skilled professionals, providing a crucial service through delivering person-centred quality care, expertise, and kindness.

Reflecting on HC-One’s present Nurses, Gloria Komolafe who is 37-years-old and a Registered Nurse at Pytchley Court Care Home, shared details of her nursing career to date.

Gloria has been a Nurse for 14-years and has always worked in the nursing industry and aims to continue to advance her career in the sector. Gloria recalls always wanting to become a Nurse. Nursing is more than just a profession to Gloria; it is a calling.

Gloria aims to constantly develop and grow in her role as a Nurse. Gloria plans to pursue specialised certifications, including achieving her doctorate degree soon. Gloria aspires to have more of a significant influence on aspiring Nurses, as well as HC-One by consistently enhancing her professional knowledge and abilities.

Gloria is proud to be in a position where she can impart her knowledge and inspire individuals to share her enthusiasm for nursing. She is grateful for the opportunity to be a Practice Assessor/Supervisor where she can help train future Nurses, and she delights in encouraging students to continuously improve their skills.

Gloria’s advice to anyone considering a career in nursing is to ensure you are passionate about caring for people; do your research about nursing and what it entails to become a Nurse, as well as researching the different roles and job opportunities in nursing; develop good communication skills; be able to adapt to constant change and stay alert as to what is happening in the industry; be humble enough to learn and relay your knowledge to others.

Nursing is a rewarding and fulfilling career if you have a strong affinity for caring for people. Reflecting on what has changed in the nursing community from the past to present day, Gloria said there was little formal medical training when nursing first started.

Your gender and your willingness to work hard were often the only requirements you needed to become a Nurse, because nursing was perceived at that time as a profession primarily for women. Nursing was simply considered to be an extension of the caregiving roles that women played at home. Today, however, the tide has changed. The nursing profession has undergone significant transformation with an extensive choice of nursing degrees, specialisations, and programmes available.

Many more structured and comprehensive training programmes are now also available. Additionally, there are now more men than ever before working as Nurses. Nurses are now working in settings other than hospital bedside nursing.

Nurses are currently in high demand in many sectors including education, home health care services, the aviation industry, correctional facilities, and the military. Nurses now take on more responsibilities than ever before including playing leading roles in organisations.

Nursing is a well-respected and sought after profession. Nearly every industry in the world is experiencing technological advancement, and the medical field is no exception. Nurses are now evolving their digital skills, and many are now using innovative new platforms.

Although the times have changed, the main goals of Nursing remain the same - to care, comfort, and support those requiring care. This caring aspect of nursing has always existed and will never change.

Gloria Komolafe, Nurse at Pytchley Court Care Home said:

“I’ve had so many unforgettable moments in my career as a Nurse. One moment that particularly stands out for me, which I remember to this day, was when I nursed a patient who was diagnosed with breast cancer.

“I nursed her from the time she was diagnosed, had a mastectomy, underwent courses of chemotherapy and cared for her during her final days. Each time she was admitted to the hospital, I would ensure she was comfortable, chat with her, and cared for her the best way I could.

“The last night I nursed her before she passed away, at the close of my shift I went to chat with her as usual. She held my hand, looked into my eyes, and said the words I will never forget ‘Thank you, you made me go through this without fear'.

“I know you'll make a great Nurse. Thank you”. To me, I was just doing my job the best way I could, but my patient’s poignant remarks meant so much to me and still do to this day.

“Virginia Handerson, a legendary Nurse scholar stated in 1966 that “the unique function of a Nurse is to assist the individual sick or well, in performance of those activities contributing to health or its recovery, (or to a peaceful death), that he or she would perform unaided if he or she had the necessary strength, will or knowledge to do so, and to do this in such a way as to help him or her gain independence as rapidly as possible’.

“This has been my mission statement since my experience with that patient. That one moment changed my view of being a Nurse forever. I made up my mind since then to always do my best as a Nurse. My satisfaction comes from knowing I did my best today, and I will ensure that I do my best tomorrow.”