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
Lizzy 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 Lizzy completed individual modules in urology courses which is where she found her love for the subject and knew this is where she saw her career progressing.
In 2019 Lizzy undertook a flexible cystoscopy course to become independent in undertaking cystoscopies and in 2020 Lizzy landed her dream job as a Urology Nurse Specialist at Surrey and Sussex healthcare NHS trust.
Fast forward four years Lizzy has now completed her Masters in Advanced Clinical Practice and is an independent Prescriber, she is independently running flexible cystoscopy lists including intravesical injections of Botox, and in the last 12 months has introduced a new female recurrent UTI service to the Trust. Lizzy also supports the urology department with a prostate assessment clinic and TWOC clinics, she runs a two week rule haematuria clinic and supports the urology one stop clinic.
In the future Lizzy is looking to continue to expand the nurse-led services at Surrey and Sussex healthcare and is working closely with both the urology and gynaecology departments in the trust to see how to continuously improve their services.