NUH News SPRING 2017

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NewsBites
Carole Devenport
Experience counts for
nurses after retirement
After a lifetime of training, knowledge and developing
specialist skills, many of our nursing staff are now choosing
a different approach to planning their retirement.
Patients at NUH are benefiting from
an increasing number of nurses who
rather than go from working full-time
to full-on retirement, are choosing
to continue to make full use of their
skills, whilst also enjoying the benefits
of working less.
Carole Devenport, a staff nurse on Fletcher
Ward at City Hospital (which cares for
renal patients), retired in December 2014,
but didn’t want to give up her career
completely, so with the support of NUH,
she was able to return to nursing and tailor
this to better suit the changes in her life.
Carole, 57, from Mansfield, decided that
she would retire from her senior nurse
manager role, but return part-time to
continue as a nurse, this time working
with haematology patients. Working fewer
hours meant that Carole could help look
after her grandchildren when her daughter
was at work and also meant she had more
time at home with her husband.
“Becoming a nurse had been a desire of
mine since I was eight years old and I’m
pleased that I’ve been able to still continue
this in a reduced capacity. I’d find it hard
to give up nursing completely,” explains
Carole.
“I still felt like I had a lot to offer as a nurse
and didn’t want to fully finish. I wanted
to pass on my knowledge and experience
to other nurses and to continue providing
care to patients. However, when I was
55-years-old I wanted to step down and
start spending more time with my family.
“I also wanted to have more patient
contact, something that I really enjoy,
which I wasn’t able to do as much as a
manager.
“Being able to retire and return has also
meant that I’ve been able to keep on my
nursing registration, I would have found
this really hard to give up after 40 years’
service.”
Carole has now decided to retire fully,
but her example is now being followed
by other colleagues who want to step
down from full time work gradually, whilst
continuing in the career they love.
Sue Haines, Assistant Director of Nursing,
added: “We really value the expertise and
knowledge of our experienced nurses.
This is a fantastic option for them to enter
a new phase of their career. They can
continue to be successful and influential in
the work place but reduce their hours for a
greater work life balance.
“Our preceptorship team can help them
integrate into new teams and different
roles and as specialists in their field we
believe they can provide a lot of support
to our newly-qualified staff and other
learners in practice.”
A pioneering new
approach to treating
osteoporosis, which
could reduce fractures
of the spine by up to
65%, could be a winner
in a national healthcare
awards later this year.
Developed in Nottingham
through a partnership
between NUH and
Rushcliffe Clinical
Commissioning Group
as part of the national
Vanguard programme
which supports innovation
in local healthcare, the
new approach replaces
daily medication with a
treatment needed only
every 18 months. Early
results show that the new
treatment could reduce
fractures of the spine by
65% and fractures of the
hip by 20% in older people
with osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is a condition
in which bones lose their
strength and are more
likely to break, usually
following a minor bump
Did you know?
Osteoporosis
treatment
winning ways
Forever Stars charity sets
sights on next milestone
A charity set up in Nottingham to
support families affected by the
loss of a baby is looking to its next
fundraising milestone in 2017.
or fall. One in
two women and
one in five men
over the age of
50 experience
fractures, mostly as
a result of low bone
strength.
Forever Stars was set up by Michelle and
Richard Daniels, after the loss of their baby
Emily in 2013. Initially the charity raised
money for a dedicated bereavement suite
at QMC for families affected by still birth.
The Serenity Suite was officially opened in
April last year.
Now the charity is working hard to provide
similar facilities for families at City Hospital.
Like the Serenity Suite it will provide a
space for families to come to terms with
their loss, in an environment where they
can spend time together away from the
main maternity facilities.
Richard explains that 2017 will be a year
when they hope that even more families
Treatment for
osteoporosis is
generally taken on a daily
basis, but research has
shown that not all patients
continue to take their
medication over time.
After three years around
70% of patients no longer
take their medication
regularly, increasing their
risks of breaking a bone.
NUH has developed a
different way to administer
the medication; rather
than daily doses, patients
receive an intravenous
infusion once every 18
months. This is much
easier for patients and can
be administered at home.
Using this approach, the
Nottingham project has
shown that 100% of
40,000
children are cared for a year
at the Nottingham Children's Hospital
Professor Opinder Sahota
will benefit from the Forever Stars charity’s
work: “People in Nottingham have
been really supportive, doing all sorts of
things to help us raise money. Lots of
the families who have used the Serenity
Suite at QMC have been inspired to raise
money for Forever Stars. This year the
fundraising doesn’t stop – and we’ve got
lots of brilliant ideas to raise money, as
well as individuals, families, groups and
organisations who are being so generous
with their support.”
For all the latest news on the Forever
Stars Charity and forthcoming fundraising
events visit the Forever
Stars website:
www.foreverstars.org
patients are able to keep
up their medication.
Professor Opinder Sahota,
from NUH, said: "We
feel honoured to have
been shortlisted for the
award and for the work
that we are doing to be
recognised. The simplicity
and safety of this service
ensures that it can be
easily adopted, helping
to prevent fractures and
improve the quality of life
for many older people."
The project has been
selected as a finalist
in the Health Service
Journal national Value in
Healthcare Awards. The
winners will be announced
on 24 May in London.