Celebrating Community Nurses this International Nurses Day
12 May 2022
Within Primary, Community and Intermediate Care (PCIC), nurses have a dynamic and varied role, delivering care in people’s homes, community settings, GP surgeries and clinics every day.
This International Nurses Day, we are recognising the incredible work our nurses do within our communities of Cardiff and Vale to ensure and provide safe and effective care for patients.
As Nurse Assessors, Jay Ventura Santana and Sophia Taylor-Moore are responsible for the implementation of NHS Continuing Healthcare packages for individual patients who meet specific nursing eligibility criteria and they monitor and review this based on need.
Nurse Assessors are also responsible for the training, teaching and support of colleagues within different community settings to ensure patients are receiving the right care, maintaining the appropriate care and subsequently managing any issues that arise efficiently and effectively.
Speaking about what they enjoy most about their roles within the community, Jay commented, “What I like most about my role is making a positive change to people’s lives. I am able to look at a person holistically and put together a care package that truly makes a difference to them. I am responsible for the coordination of their care package and I am directly able to put plans in place to iron out any issues, and work closely with the patient, carers and family to ensure this is working for them and respond quickly to any changes that may arise.”
Sophia said, “Having come from a district nursing background, becoming a Nurse Assessor means I get to plan and see the care of our patients through from beginning to end. In my previous role, I saw patients thrive and regain their independence as a result of the support received by district nursing teams, and to be able to put these plans in place and work with our district nursing colleagues to ensure this plan is working for patients and is having a positive impact is very rewarding.
“As well as a Nurse Assessor, I also work bank shifts for the out-of-hours district nursing service within Cardiff and Vale as I thoroughly enjoy the autonomy and unique care experience you gain being a district nurse.”
District Nurse, Angharad Slade, provides care to patients in their home to prevent, where possible, hospital admission. As a district nurse, Angharad’s role entails wound care, diabetic care, catheter care, medication administration and palliative care.
Reflecting on her role within the community, Angharad said: “The most rewarding part of my role is patient interaction within their own environment. Working within the community allows us to build a rapport with patients, and conducting nursing responsibilities within patients’ home is a privilege.
“After years of nursing within a hospital setting, moving into community nursing was the best decision I made! I thoroughly enjoy the variation of my role as each day is different and I enjoy the autonomy and responsibility that comes with a community role. Community nursing comes with its own set of challenges but being part of a supportive and close-knit team means the load is shared and there is always someone on hand to discuss concerns with.”