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Today (Tuesday 12 May) is International Nurses’ Day and with over 5,000 nurses working across Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust within every specialty, they represent a third of the workforce.

We recognise some of the nurses working across very different areas.

Nursing in the most challenging circumstances

Working on a hospital’s Intensive Therapy Unit (ITU) is not for everyone, we shine a spotlight on a senior charge nurse at Broomfield Hospital.

After discovering a love for surgical nursing, Geoffrey Munday was pulled towards a career in ITU, giving him the chance to grow and to support people in the most challenging moments of their lives. 

Geoffrey holds onto a simple principle that guides him through the hardest days: be kind. It shapes how he leads, how he supports families and how he works with colleagues under pressure.

In his role he leads a safe and effective service, guides patient journeys, supports his team and carries the emotional weight of complex decisions. 

Geoffrey said:

Knowing we are helping someone to live out the last days of their life, rather than help them recover is one of the hardest parts, but it is a very rewarding role despite the challenges. I take real pride in how my colleagues work together to keep the unit running and lift one another through the toughest moments.

One story has stayed with him more than most. There was a young man visiting the UK who became critically unwell, that situation left him fighting for his life. 

His mother travelled from abroad on her own, unable to speak English and terrified for her son. Geoffrey was on shift that night with another nurse, and together they helped her through those first difficult hours. 

He said: “My team worked constantly and did all they could under incredibly emotionally charged and tragic circumstances. Despite our best efforts, the young man passed away. Two years later, his mother returned to the unit, still calling us ‘her angels’.”

Suzanne Hoare, Deputy Director of Nursing at Broomfield Hospital, said: “

Every day, our ITU nurses deliver exceptional care. Their dedication reflects the core values of nursing: humanity, professionalism and a genuine commitment to high‑quality care.

 

How a new mum was inspired to become a neonatal nurse

Twelve years ago, a woman stood in Southend’s neonatal unit as a mum to premature twins who were being cared for by neonatal nurses. 

Today, Tanya James, calls that same area her place of work, and many of the same nurses who cared for her and her twins are now colleagues.

Now a Practice Development Sister on the neonatal unit, Tanya began her career in adult nursing. It was only when she experienced neonatal care for the first time – not as a nurse, but as a patient – that she was inspired to redirect her nursing journey into caring for the youngest hospital patients.

She said:

Until you live it, you don't really understand neonatal nursing. You place so much trust in the people caring for your babies.

You're not just caring for a baby. You're caring for a whole family, during one of the hardest times of their lives.

To see the baby go home with their family is really rewarding – it’s such a unique area of nursing.

After spending 10 days being cared for on the unit, Tanya was able to take her own twins home. 

Today they’re all grown up – aged 12 and thriving - and Tanya uses her unique experience to continue to support families every day, helping give babies the best possible start in life.

 

Making a difference in the Emergency Department

Southend Hospital’s Emergency Department (ED), sees between 350-420 patients a day.

ED nurses work across all the different areas of the department, which means they are extremely skilled. 

For Dyanne Del Carmen, Senior Nurse, the main reward working in ED is simple but important. She said: “The best thing about my job is helping people. Having a positive impact on the lives of our patients and their families and supporting them in their most vulnerable moments is so important. It’s really rewarding to be able to treat someone who comes in very unwell and send them home safely.”

Frank Obi, Staff Nurse, explained what he enjoyed about the role. He said:  

I really enjoy the fast pace and the variety. I moved here from Ghana three years ago, and I’ve learnt so much. I think the two main skills you need to be an ED nurse are to have the confidence to make decisions quickly and to know when to ask for help.

ED Matron, Greg Keane, summed it up by saying: “The ED nursing team works incredibly hard at an intense pace, under huge pressure and often in extremely challenging circumstances. They are the reason this department functions and I am incredibly grateful to them.”

To find out more about nursing vacancies please visit: https://www.mse.nhs.uk/