Staff nurse Christine Ntanda works on a specialist female rehabilitation ward at Hopewood Park in Sunderland.
Before doing her nurse degree training, she worked in health and social care. She has also worked on a psychiatric intensive ward before moving to her current role at Clearbrook ward where she has been for two and a half years.
Part of Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW), Clearbrook is a specialist rehabilitation and recovery unit. The service works with females aged 18 and over who require a period of intensive rehabilitation in a hospital setting.
For Christine, the best part of the job is the variety. “Each day is different and presents with different challenges,” she explained. “Our client group have a variety of complexities which require different ways of working for each individual.”
She also cites the opportunities for training and career progression as an important part of the job. “Support is provided to ensure all mandatory training is up to date and we are supported to do specialist training through the Trust,” she added.
While the role can be challenging, Christine feels she is in a position to make a difference every day. By working to support service users with both basic and complex needs, Christine says the difference can be big or small. She supports those she works with to feel empowered to live meaningful lives.
The hardest part of the job, Christine says, is nursing someone who cannot understand how unwell they are and how challenging their conditions can be.
Despite the challenges, Christine would recommend a career in nursing to anyone. “Nursing is a great opportunity that opens up avenues into many different specialities. A career in nursing brings so much job satisfaction.”
CNTW is a leading provider of mental health and disability services in the North East and north Cumbria.