Berenice Constable, Head of Nursing, June 1990
What is your role?
I am the Head of Nursing for Unplanned Care and have responsibility for the Quality and Safety of care provided to patients within the Division
What does a typical working day look like?
It is very varied with a mixture of meetings, either 1:1 or on MS Teams with my direct reports, other members of the MDT and the Executive team, walk rounds in clinical areas, supporting in Silver command, helping with hospital flow in times of surge, ensuring that the nursing voice is represented in the decision making and fundamentally ensuring we are providing high quality, safe care.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
The opportunity to influence how we deliver our services, which ultimately has a positive impact on patient care and experience. I also really enjoy working closely with Divisional Nursing teams, supporting decision making and challenging ourselves to continually develop and improve
What level of patient contact do you have in your role?
Not as much as I would like, however I do regular walk rounds in the clinical areas which affords me the opportunity to observe the care being provided to our patients and to speak to staff
What other members of the healthcare team do you work with?
Associate Director for Unplanned Care and Chief of Medicine as part of the Divisional Trio; General Managers, AHP colleagues, Estates and Facilities team, Emergency Planning team, Consultants, the Communications team, Patient experience team, PALS, Complaints, HR
What do you like about working for the Trust?
It is definitely to do with the people I work with. The way everybody pulls together during the difficult times, and the support I receive from my manager, colleagues and team
Why did you join the NHS?
I knew from the age of 4 that I wanted to be a Nurse, and when I left school I decided to pursue that ambition in the UK. I did my Nurse Training at the Epsom and Kingston School of Nursing, based at Kingston Hospital and have been here since.
Safiya Mohidin, Quality Governance Administrator, October 2018
What is your role?
Currently, I work alongside the Datix Project Manager in implementing the new Datix system soon to be launched at the Trust. Alongside this, I also provide admin support to the Head of Patient Safety and Risk, as well as the Risk Managers. I also lead on editing the monthly team newsletter, and occasionally help with the organisation of meetings.
What does a typical working day look like?
For me every day is different, however an example of one of my days would be:
What do you enjoy most about your job?
One thing I really enjoy about my job is that every day is different. Whilst also doing my role in the Patient Safety Team, I’m also lucky enough to spend a day working the Communications team every week which has allowed me to also gain experience in the world of Communication and Media. I also love the team that I work with, they are all so supportive and I know I can go to them if I am ever stuck or unsure about a task.
What level of patient contact do you have in your role?
I don’t have any patient contact in my role, apart from the odd times when I need to log into CRS to access patient notes.
What other members of the healthcare team do you work with?
Patient Safety and Risk team, and Communications.
What do you like about working for the Trust?
Kingston Hospital is a very open and safe hospital. I really enjoy working here knowing that I have a supportive environment around me, and the staff here are also all so lovely which makes working here extremely enjoyable.
What is your role?
Day to day I handle the Occupational Health enquiries and administration.
What does a typical working day look like?
I manage the Occupational Health inbox, answering the phones and coordinating COVID-19 testing and isolation.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
The Occupational Health team because they are the friendliest, most supportive group of people and they make every day enjoyable.
What do you like about working for the Trust?
Here at Kingston Hospital there is always room to grow and learn new skills that is why I like working for the hospital.
Why did you join the NHS?
To become a part of a great, well established organisation.
What does a typical working day look like?
I start the day with a huddle with all the team where we discuss what went well, compliments or complaints, Trust messages, work directives and provide opportunities for staff to raise any issues.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I enjoy working as a team, collaborating with the Multi Disciplinary Team, talking to patients, developing main outpatient department roles.
What other members of the healthcare team do you work with?
All, doctors, nurses, managers, porters, administrative, ISS, radiology.
What do you like about working for the Trust?
I really like this hospital, Kingston has a very friendly environment. The Senior management are very approachable and listen to our concerns. They provide developing opportunities for all staff and care about the patient experience.
Why did you join the NHS?
I love working for the NHS, after working for different organisations and cultures all over the world I still believe the NHS is the best place to work for! Staff and patients are very lucky indeed to have the NHS!
What is your role?
Clinical Research Nurse since 2019 and A&E Staff Nurse from 2015 to 2019.
What does a typical working day look like?
I do a lot of liaising. So for the first hour, checking my emails is important to me. It can be emails from Medical or Nursing Consultants who are Principal Investigators for the different Research Studies that we do. We also work closely with different Universities in the UK and the Clinical Research Network Group. I also get the odd email from my tech-savvy patients which always cheers me up.
Afterwards I procced to screen eligibility of different patients for the studies I run. Once I find an eligible patient, I invite them to participate in the study. This could range from visiting them in the ward or a special unit, seeing them in outpatients during their clinic attendance, ringing them at home or posting invitations.
Then I follow up interest and would recruit them for the study. I conduct different assessments depending on the study specialty I do. I mostly cover Stroke Research, Cardiology, Respiratory and Rheumatology. I would also do all my follow-ups, do data entry and follow the patient’s research journey until conclusion of the study.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I love the things that I normally don’t get to do as a bedside nurse. Although I miss doing bedside nursing, I love the perks of being able to dabble in a little bit of laboratory work. Some of my studies require handling clinical research samples and that means I have to prepare them myself after I get it from our participants, run them and prepping them for the Cryogenic Freezer. I get to work alongside our lovely team in Biochemistry, they’re the loveliest, I wouldn’t have met them if it wasn’t for my new role. (I used to work in A&E you see and we are as much alien as they are to us, we mostly communicate on the phone regarding haemolysed samples.
What level of patient contact do you have in your role?
I would say my work revolves around our patients. I spend as much time as I need to and as patients need me to when I meet them face to face. This is to talk about Research and helping them to arrive to an informed decision about whether or not they want to participate in Clinical Research. Although I only get to spend an hour at most when I meet them, I get to meet them frequently during their research journey as I follow them up for the study. I get to know them, their families, their lives and I also get to streamline their care by liaising for them and other healthcare partners.
What other members of the healthcare team do you work with?
I work well as a part of a multi-disciplinary team. As my specialty revolves around Stroke, Cardiology, Respiratory and Rheumatology, you would normally see me sometimes in Keats Ward or Bronte Ward where I work closely with the medical, nursing and physio/OT team. Sometimes you can find me in the Cathlab or at the Cardiology Outpatients with the Cardiac Physios and Angio Nurses. At times I’ll be at the Main Outpatients Department with the staff. I also find myself working with the Specialty Secretaries, the Respiratory Physios and some of the Radiology staff. Sometimes I’ll be back in A&E where I used to work and conducting eligibility screening with the team there. But most of the time I work closely with our Consultants as they are the Principal Investigators and Chief Investigator of the studies I do.
What do you like about working for the Trust?
I like the feeling of Family in Kingston. The Values the trust upholds resonates with me. I’m proud to work with a team that cares not only for its patients but for its staff as well.
For someone who works in a foreign country away from my own family, Kingston Hospital is the closest thing I can call home in the UK.
Why did you join the NHS?
When I was hired from the Philippines, the NHS was the only option. I never truly knew what the NHS meant not until I arrived here in the UK. For someone who used to work for a private hospital in a third world country, there’s a whole other type of frustration in wanting to help treat your patients and finding out you have to withdraw care because they can’t afford it.
I realised how lucky I was working for the NHS now where I can rest assuredly that I can give our patients the best possible care without having to worry if they can afford it or not.
What is your role?
Matron for Critical care unit, Outreach and Sepsis and Deteriorating Nurse
What does a typical working day look like?
What do you enjoy most about your job?
What level of patient contact do you have in your role?
What other members of the healthcare team do you work with?
What do you like about working for the Trust?
Why did you join the NHS?
What is your role?
I work Trust-wide with staff from all relevant disciplines to promote safe, appropriate and economic transfusion practice within the Trust, whilst developing strategies for the Trust to fulfil the requirements amongst others to be compliant with local and national guidelines.
What does a typical working day look like?
I would start my day by checking my emails and ensure that I respond to them promptly. I would check with blood bank staff for any issues related to blood transfusion during the night. I read any new updates / articles, guidelines and protocols to update myself. I work hard to improve my knowledge in order for me to give appropriate advice and guidance. To gain and keep the respect and trust of the whole team is important in my role for the safety of patients. I would catch up with ward managers and or the blood transfusion link nurses to ensure that staff are signed off with their competencies or plan for training and development. Sometimes, I go round the wards and staff would stop me and ask advice and support for other matters not related to blood transfusion. I am proud of it as the staff see me not only a transfusion practitioner but someone that they can trust and talk to.
A day in the life of a transfusion practitioner can be challenging, especially when attempting to try to bring your enthusiasm and excitement for the work you do and to expect others to respond the same way. The rewards may not always be immediately evident, and there are times I go home tired and unsure of the impact I had that day. However, I wake up with gladness and return each day, and try and do my best. I know, that no matter what, it is essential for me to bring change and make a difference.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
In my job I have freedom to go round the wards and I speak to lots of the staff. I enjoy it most as I speak to them not just a transfusion practitioner but also their mentor.
What level of patient contact do you have in your role?
I don’t have much contact with patients in my role but if I do it is often to give them support. This will include of ensuring that patient and their family are fully informed and or act as their advocate.
What other members of the healthcare team do you work with?
I work with staff in all areas where any part of the blood transfusion pathways is in practice, e.g outpatient clinics and phlebotomy department
What do you like about working for the Trust?
Kingston has a very friendly environment which is quite unique from other trusts. You can go round the hospital and expect that everyone has always got a smile in their faces and willing to help.
Why did you join the NHS?
I join the NHS for I believe that I will grow and achieve what I wanted to be as a nurse. I am very grateful to be part of Kingston family that help me realise my potential and achieve my goal. I won’t be where I am now without the support and encouragement of my Head Nurse. Who calls me like a “magpie” that will grab every opportunity to grow and shine.
What is your role?
As the IM&T EPR Manager (Electronic Patient Record) my role is an IT based role that takes responsibility for scoping and implementing IT systems that help further patient care. A large part of my role is to facilitate the organisation moving away from paper patient records with the vision that most (if not all) patient records are moved to an electronic variant.
What does a typical working day look like?
A typical working day for me includes arriving at work at 08:30am, greeting IM&T staff, logging into my PC and checking my calendar. I then preparing for any meetings for that day, answer any urgent emails or requests from trust staff. I then continue to work my way through a planned list of projects that I need to deliver.
I also manage the IM&T Change Team, who are a team of motivated individuals who help me and the trust to rollout any changes and process required for CRS. I answer any queries the may have, and manage them the best way I can to deliver their tasks to the organisation e.g. implementing a new electronic referral, or transcribing a paper document template on to CRS I then attend meeting all over the trust (or virtually during the current times) and action any IT Changes that are urgent.
Problem solving and fact finding also play large parts of my role where I may need to support managerial colleagues with issues or investigations.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I enjoy using new technologies and developing new solutions for our electronic patient record.
Liaising with colleagues to find out how we can make things work better electronically.
The people, Kingston hospital staff feel like a big family, so coming to work and working hard to achieve the same goal is always a good thing!
What level of patient contact do you have in your role?
Very Little, The best patient care I provide is for staff at the hospital using IT system to record the care they give. I do the occasional to ‘direct a patient or visitor to the right location’ when they appear lost.
What other members of the healthcare team do you work with?
I work with managers, consultants, nurses, therapists, admin staff and various other groups of staff. If a new IM&T process or solution is needed within a patients record, I’m not usually far away.
What do you like about working for the Trust?
The staff and patients all seem to be ‘family orientated’ and friendly. KHFT always feels like a huge family that always pulls together with a single common goal, patient care. No matter how hard times get staff are always friendly. The job can become quite challenging for all staff but we always seem to get to the desired destination.
Why did you join the NHS?
I joined the NHS on December 8th 2003 after finishing college. At that point I decided I did not want to continue to university, so decided to get a full time job. My mother has always been a big inspiration to me and wanted me to work somewhere I could make a difference. My mother has worked in or around the NHS for the last 40 years in various roles (Nurse / Carer / Social Worker) so recommended that I find a job in the NHS. After attending Kingston college, I drove past the trust often and decided to apply for a role as an admin assistant in radiology, and after various promotions ended up in IM&T.
