At Pioneer, we are not immune to the nursing shortages experienced in health and social care settings across the UK. However, what we do have is a large group of dedicated staff who are exceptionally passionate about their specialist area of wound healing and lymphoedema.
In 2021, Pioneer offered Sarah a funded opportunity to study a Nursing degree via the Open University. Sarah reports feeling excited yet overwhelmed at the time but accepted the opportunity knowing she would be juggling studying, clinical placement and continuing to work in her role at Pioneer for the next 4 years.
Sarah said ‘I have been working at Pioneer for 6.5 years now and my journey started here as a health care support worker. I am now the first Pioneer newly qualified nurse following completion of the nursing apprenticeship degree course with The Open University!
During my study and clinical placements in General Practice, Hospice, surgical wards, High Dependency Unit and community nursing I have built confidence and resilience. I am starting to apply all the knowledge and skills I have gained into practice when I meet patients. During my study, at times I felt scared, sad, happy and unsure, sometimes all at the same time! But I do feel proud in the achievements that I have met.
It really hasn’t sunk in yet that I’m a qualified nurse now! 4 years have passed and on reflection it has been a rollercoaster, one I will never forget. I have learnt so much about myself through personal challenges and overcoming circumstances I never thought I would have to face. On a professional level, I have had the honour of working with so many health care professionals from all different areas of nursing, but all with one thing in common – providing the best care for the patients they care for. The different experiences that I have been through have enabled me to develop into the nurse that I want to be, striving to place patients at the centre of their care.
Sarah Kendrick, Registered Nurse
At points I was unsure if I would finish my degree or make it to the end but with the amazing support from the entire team at Pioneer, who have all been part of my nursing journey to becoming a Registered Nurse, without them none of this would be possible. I cannot thank them enough!
It has been a challenge while navigating new ways of working and balancing things but also exciting as hopefully the path has now been set for other Pioneer colleagues to follow’.
Laura Russell, Ambulatory Care Lead & Nurse Consultant Tissue Viability reflects ‘It has been a pleasure to support Sarah through her journey to becoming a Registered Nurse, we are all incredibly proud of her achievements! This marks a pivotal moment for Pioneer as our first ‘home grown Nurse’ is created, paving the way for more aspiring nurses to specialise within tissue viability and lymphoedema which also clearly demonstrates opportunities for career progression at Pioneer. Congratulations Staff Nurse Sarah!
Professor David Gray, Executive Nurse Director said ‘Sarah has quite literally been a Pioneer at Pioneer, and I congratulate her on her journey. Sarah is the first, but she will not be the last colleague gaining their nursing registration. We are grateful to Sarah for setting the standard’.