A week’s work experience in the Downe Hospital’s Maternity Unit sparked a passion for nursing in the then teenage aged South Eastern Trust’s Trainee Consultant District Nurse Andrea Beeks.
With International Nurses Day celebrated around the world every May 12th, the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth, Andrea added, “Following my work experience, I soon realised a passion that I wanted to continue to look after and to care for people and that progressed for me applying for my Nursing, at that time, to Belfast City Hospital.”
From the ward, Andrea continued her nursing career into the community with the South Eastern Trust and has now taken up the newly created role as a Trainee Consultant District Nurse. “I do feel it is a real privilege to look after patients in their own home, it’s a ‘ward with no walls’ in a way. As Nurses, we build up that therapeutic relationship with the patient and their families, their carers and it is an absolute pleasure.”
Andrea, who is from Newcastle, shared how the role of a Nurse is one of compassion. “You can show that compassion to a person whenever they need someone the most. It can be even a kind word, or a kind gesture. Being a Nurse, for me, is looking after people when they are at their most vulnerable,” said Andrea.
As she prepared to train community nursing staff on the care and maintenance of PICC (peripherally inserted central catheter) lines, Andrea described how “rewarding” it is to inspire the next generation. “I have a lot of skills, a lot of experience and knowledge to hand on to the future Nurses within the Trust. It is really good to see the newly qualified Nurses coming into community nursing and progressing as far as they can go with my help.”
Andrea continued, “On International Nurses Day, it is good to celebrate the profession as a whole. Nursing is a very valuable profession to be in, it is very rewarding and I think we should appreciate and acknowledge everything Nurses carry out.”
