Nursing
Rachael’s Journey: Growing in Children’s Emergency Care at UHS
Meet Rachael, Senior Sister, and Ward Manager at UHS, Children’s Emergency and Trauma Department.
What is your job role and what does your job role entail?
I’m a band 7 Senior Sister and Ward Manager in the Children’s Emergency department. I work as part of a team delivering care to a range of children of all different ages, illnesses, and injuries. Within the department, there are four areas to work in- resus, acute, triage or PSSU, so every day is different, and we get to use different skills.
What was your career journey to date?
I started my career in Children’s cardiology as a newly qualified nurse. I absolutely loved starting my nursing career here and learnt how to look after incredibly unwell children in a supportive environment. I then moved to Children’s ED 8 years ago as a band 5 after really enjoying a placement I did when I was at university. During this time, I worked on the paediatric assessment unit and had a 50/50 contract. I then came to ED full-time when I became a band 6 and applied for my band 7 position, 2 years ago.
What is the best thing about working at UHS and what sets UHS apart from other Trusts?
The best thing about working at UHS are the career opportunities available. There are so many routes and development opportunities you can take with your career as it’s a very supportive environment. Peers and managers are helpful with making those decisions. But what sets UHS apart is the opportunities, the presentations and the training offered to you.
What made you want to work at UHS and who would you recommend UHS?
I trained at the University of Southampton and loved all my placements. I felt supported and only wanted to work at UHS post-employment. I would recommend to any nurse who would like to broaden their skill set, specialise in an area of nursing, or wants to become a well-rounded staff nurse to then progress their career.
What training and development opportunities have you had during your time at UHS?
In Children’s ED- absolutely loads!! We have a wide range of ED courses including minors study day, pediatric cannulation, and trauma advanced life support to name a few. We also have access to university courses through the education team. Everyone in the team is asked what courses they would like to do to ensure fairness for everyone. Our basic educational training is the most I have seen in any area I have worked.
Are there any developments within your department you are looking forward to?
Within Children’s ED, we are constantly looking at and changing the way we work so it is best for our patients and our team.
