When I answered the phone I would say, 'A&E, student nurse speaking'. Which was short for, 'Accident and Emergency, I'm answering the phone because I'm closest and want to be proactive, but don't ask me anything too complicated or expect too much from me. I'm still learning!'. Was it just...
We clock in and clock out. Shift after shift, we go through the motions and flop into bed at the end of each hard day. Yet how many times do we stop to consider the beauty and gifts all around us? As healthcare professionals, we have a unique privilege to study...
Your legs are running before you process what is happening. A default response to the crash bell going off in resus. Your heart pounds almost as fast as your feet, as you rush towards the chaos. You see the senior nurse jaw-thrusting the patient, but your feet remain rooted, unsure...
Lord, how can I do this? Lord, how can I do this? It feels like you're asking me to stay with this lady. I want to help. I want her to know she's precious and not forgotten. I feel privileged to be present. I want her to know you. But, Lord, how can I do this?...
Today, as been one of the busiest shifts in my memory. It has been chaotic and unsafe. Yet, this I call to mind. This I put on my lips… 'I believe that you are Sovereign ' I put my trust in you. Today, I have prayed for healing but then watched my...
You got this! Hopefully, this is what your cheer squad (colleagues, family, church groups, etc.) are saying to you as you take your first steps as a newly qualified nurse or midwife. In my experience, though, God wants to say, 'I've got you'. My dream of nursing in French-speaking Africa started...
Can I be newly anything aged 37? They say that life begins at 40 But I'm not feeling too sure and I'm having my doubts Will I be accepted on the wards? Will I hack the pace? Will I know how to be, Mature me? Not a has-been who's past it, a second-rate choice But a middle-aged...
On qualifying as a nurse, the initial congratulations and feeling of achievement was great. At last, I had a vocation, a niche and a purpose, something to offer. I quickly learned, however, that this was just the beginning of my learning, and there were exciting and challenging times ahead. I'd like...
That first drug error The first time you cry on shift The first complaint made about you And the first patient that you lose. The funeral you attend And the safeguarding case That first crash call you put out And the incident form you fill in. Gosh, we never forget these firsts. They shape our first years qualified and they...
As I walked up the steps to the birth centre for my night shift, I prayed (as I always try to before each shift) that the Lord would help me be a good and safe midwife. A few hours into my night shift, a lady expecting her first baby was...
Are you a saver or spender? Since childhood you will have developed a relationship with money. As you commence your career, it's important to get a grip on money management. Early on, a Christian uncle talked to me about regularly putting aside money for God's work. He introduced me to a...
Spotlight : Tell us, why did you become a nurse? Dulce : I had no background in medical things; I worked for years in a large mission organisation and when doing missionary trips, I began to see the huge need for medical help. In one country I went to,...
You have survived your midwifery training and are now a newly qualified midwife (NQM)! Praise God for bringing you through the ups and downs of placements, essays, and dissertations these past three years. And for the births you've witnessed, the forty plus babies you've delivered, and the hundreds of women...
The reason I felt prompted to write this short article was to bless the reader with the fact that the professional standards we seek to uphold are, in many ways, reflective of the life of Jesus and the way he would have us honour him in our professions. Here are...
Have you ever made a mistake, and just wished that the ground would swallow you up. It can be devastating. I felt like an imposter anyway, and this just confirms it - I definitely should not be qualified to do this job! We will all make mistakes at some point...
If you're reading this, you're probably a newly qualified nurse or midwife. And I also hazard a guess that one of your most pressing questions is something like this: Can I share the gospel with my patients? You might have a longer list of questions about boundaries. Can I pray...
In this special edition of Spotlight, we take a dive into topics that we hope will be helpful for our newly qualified readers. But if you are not newly qualified, after enjoying the articles yourself, why not consider blessing a newly qualified nurse or midwife that you know with a...