Why I value my time as a trustee
I feel so honoured to be a co-opted trustee and I am so excited to be on this journey alongside likeminded colleagues from all over the country to work together to strive for the best care for our urology patients.
I hope that I will be an inspiration to other urology nurses to show that it is possible to build a career that you love, which certainly makes coming to work every day a pleasure.
I feel lucky that I have been given the opportunity to contribute to the future of urology nursing by working with BAUN.
Why I have a passion for urology
My journey in urology started on my first ward as a newly qualified staff nurse in 2014, where I worked on an elective general surgical / urology ward and since then over the last 10 years I have had the privilege of working alongside the most inspirational urology nurses and doctors who have inspired me to become the urology nurse specialist I am today.
I currently work with a brilliant team of urology consultants, registrars, trainees and specialist nurses at East Surrey Hospital where I have established great working relationships with my colleagues, enabling us to work together for the best outcome for our patients.
Last year I completed my masters in advanced clinical practice, and I am an independent prescriber (which is very handy in my job role!)
My current role involves performing flexible cystoscopies, both diagnostic and surveillance cystoscopies. I am also independently running nurse-led Botox cystoscopy lists which has been very successful and popular with our patients. Alongside cystoscopy lists, I run a nurse-led female recurrent UTI clinic, a two-week rule haematuria clinic, a one stop clinic with 3 doctors and I assist the urology investigation suite with prostate assessment clinic, LUTS assessments and TWOC clinics. It’s certainly a busy and ever expanding role, but I wouldn’t have it any other way!
Biography
I qualified in Adult nursing from Kingston University in 2014 and then worked for 3 years in Kingston Hospital in an elective surgical / urology ward before transferring Surrey and Sussex healthcare as a ward sister in the surgical short stay unit. During this time I completed individual modules in urology courses which is where I found my love for the subject and knew this is where I saw my career progressing.
In 2019 I undertook a flexible cystoscopy course to become independent in undertaking cystoscopies and in 2020 I landed my dream job as a Urology Nurse Specialist at Surrey and Sussex healthcare NHS trust.
Fast forward four years and I had now completed my Masters in Advanced Clinical Practice and am an independent Prescriber. I am now independently running flexible cystoscopy lists including intravesical injections of Botox, and in the last 12 months have introduced a new female recurrent UTI service to the Trust. I also support the urology department with a prostate assessment clinic and TWOC clinics. I also run a two week rule haematuria clinic and supports the urology one stop clinic.
In the future I am looking to continue to expand the nurse-led services at Surrey and Sussex healthcare and am working closely with both the urology and gynaecology departments in the trust to see how to continuously improve their services.