More than 50,000 nurses and health visitors work across the capital, providing cradle-to-grave care to Londoners.
Jane Clegg, chief nurse for the NHS in London, has taken the opportunity to pay tribute to nursing staff across the region:
“I would like to wish all of my nursing colleagues across the capital a very happy International Nurses Day. Over the past two years I have been able to witness, first-hand, the incredible and selfless work of our nurses in London.
“From students and returners to long-standing matrons, I would like to thank each and every one of you for your dedication, expertise and outstanding care. Despite the extraordinary challenges we’ve faced, I have never felt prouder to be a nurse.”
Nursing care, although associated with hospitals and traditional healthcare settings, spans a wide range of specialties including community, practice, maternity, mental health and social care, and there are many routes into the profession for those considering joining. The most common route into nursing is by completing a nursing degree but other career paths are available, including nursing apprenticeship degrees and nursing associate roles where staff can earn while they learn.
Anita Bignell, Lead Simulation Nurse Tutor at Maudsley Learning, and Mental Health Nurse of the Year for the British Journal of Nursing Awards, started her career in the NHS as a Healthcare Assistant before she studied to become a nurse. Anita shared why she loves her role:
“I really love working with patients. I love trying to help people and support them if they’re having a really hard time to make improvements in their life and to recover.
“I also love the people I work with, mental health clinicians are really interesting and engaging, we challenge each other’s thinking and it’s just a really dynamic, ever-changing area to work in with lots of variety of challenges.”
