Return to nursing: become a children’s palliative care nurse
The nationwide shortage of nurses in children’s palliative care has been making the headlines of late with reports of the lack of nurses affecting the care available to children with life limiting conditions. Yet the opportunity to provide holistic care to a child and their family is one of the most rewarding roles in nursing.
CHSW is taking a proactive approach to protect its services into the future and one of a range of initiatives is an exciting opportunity for nurses who may be considering returning to their career. Amanda Williams is a children’s palliative care nurse.
Amanda says she chose a career in nursing because she wanted to make a difference. ‘I now work as a Team Leader for Children’s Hospice South West (CHSW). Whenever I say this, people often assume it’s a really sad job. But there is no other sector I would work in, because being part of a family’s journey is such an amazing experience with its own rewards and challenges.’
Mandy Robbins, Director of Care at CHSW said: ‘Children’s palliative care requires dedication and enthusiasm and we would like to invite nurses who may have left the profession to return to nursing inspired to care again in what is one of the most rewarding roles available.’
CHSW’s new initiative offers nurses the opportunity to be a paid member of the CHSW Care Team Bank for the clinical practice hours required; and as part of this Return to Practice post Health Education England will fund the Return to Nursing course fee as well as pay a financial incentive of £1,000 for a returnee whilst undertaking the course.
Ruth Lyes was a registered children and general nurse who left the profession to raise her family. When she heard there was an opportunity to return to nursing at her local CHSW hospice she jumped at the chance.
‘I have always loved children and so having an opportunity to be able to care for them really appealed to me. Prior to working at the hospice, I had had no experience of working in palliative care but working one to one with children I could get to know very well, really appealed to me.
‘Working at the hospice has been so rewarding. Despite what many people think, it is a happy place with such a lovely atmosphere. Palliative care is something I never thought I could do, but after joining the team in my late 40s, I was so happy and continued until my retirement at 65. I would recommend the Return to Nursing opportunity to anyone, it certainly helped me use my nursing skills again to make a difference to the lives of children and their families and brought me tremendous job satisfaction.’
For more information visit https://www.chsw.org.uk/jobs
