Case Studies

Mr & Mrs Holmes
Volunteers

Mr & Mrs Holmes have been volunteering in hospitals, hospices and charity shops for 33 and 22 years respectively:

"Volunteering has helped us to get more out of life by helping others who are less fortunate than ourselves.

"We would recommend Volunteering to anyone who has some spare time, it is a very rewarding task. We find the work immensely satisfying and hope to continue serving the health sector for many years to come."

Kerry-Ann Gordon-Watson
Sister, Cardiac Catheter Laboratory (PRUH)

Kerry-Ann joined the Trust in 2003 as a Healthcare Assistant (HCA) in Medicine and found it interesting working with a multi-professional team consisting of Doctors, Nurses, Physiotherapists and other HCA's. In her pursuit for continuous personal and professional development, Kerry-Ann decided to undertake the NVQ Level 3 in Care which was supported by the Trust and this sparked her interest to pursue a nursing career.

After working as a HCA for a year, Kerry-Ann was seconded to become a Student Nurse at King's College University of London, where she undertook her Nursing degree. During her time at university she became a Student Trust Representative for two years. This gave her the opportunity to 'lead' and address concerns of students regarding placements and other issues within the Trust. In addition, she also attended meetings with Nurse Leads, Directors and University Lecturers, providing her with the opportunity for leadership development.

Kerry-Ann qualified as a nurse in 2007 and then returned to the Trust to undertake a cardiology rotation programme for a year. She then worked her way up the career ladder to her current position as a Sister, in the Cardiac Catheter Lab at the PRUH.

Kerry-Ann states she would not have been able to achieve her success in her nursing career had it not been for the support and encouragement she received from her colleagues. She also acknowledges that through her career pathway she has had the opportunity to care for a diverse group of patients and worked with talented and highly trained professionals, who has helped to hone her skills and development as a nurse.

Kerry-Ann highlighted the learning opportunities within the Trust and also attributes her success to the commitment and support of the Trust in nursing development.

The Future:

Kerry-Ann is currently completing her Graduate Certificate in Cardiac Nursing and will commence the MSc programme in Cardiac Care this September at King's College University. She will continue to receive support from the Trust and her clinical mentor. In terms of future roles she would like to become a Specialist Nurse or Nurse Consultant in Cardiology, providing the highest level of evidence based care to her patients. For Kerry-Ann the "sky is the limit" and we wish her all the success.