My story – Heidi Cornell
Heidi Cornell joined The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital as a newly-qualified nurse.
Having had two student placements at the hospital, she had no doubts that she wanted to return and was delighted to secure a post on the High Dependency Unit (HDU) to start her career.
“I’ve been here for over five years,” says Heidi. “I came here from Staffordshire University. I had my scheduled placement in HDU but then I came back and did my elective placement here as well.
“I really enjoyed it and I loved the variety. I still do. We get surgical patients, but also medical patients and no two days are ever the same.
“It’s a friendly Trust. When I walk down the corridor, everyone smiles at you and says hello. That counts for a lot.
“I’ve never regretted coming here, it’s been just brilliant for me. I always felt well supported as a student and it was the same when I started as a newly-qualified nurse, too.”
That support was crucial to Heidi, who says she never felt isolated or alone as she took her first steps into the world of qualified nursing.
“Looking back, I didn’t have any confidence and as a newly-qualified nurse who is suddenly handed their pin,” she recalls. “I just wanted to feel supported and have people I could go to if I had questions. I’ve definitely had that.
“There is a great preceptorship programme here as well. It really helped me. When I talked to some of my friends at other hospitals, they were quite envious of the programme we were getting at RJAH compared to their own.
“I’m on a six-month secondment post now, working as a Sister. It’s been brilliant experience and is a good thing to add to my CV.”
Working on HDU, Heidi helps care for patients who have undergone extensive or complicated orthopaedic surgery, or who have been identified at the Pre-Operative Assessment Clinic as possibly requiring closer post-operative nursing care. The HDU team also provides care to patients who are being nursed on the general wards, and whose condition is deteriorating clinically, or are causing concern.
It means she has looked after some seriously ill patients during her time, though that does not stop the team exploring every avenue to enhance their experience.
“We used to have a lot of oncology patients coming through HDU, and there was one who stands out for me,” says Heidi. “He was only about 17 when he started coming to us, and I remember that he spent his 21st birthday in one of our side rooms.
“That was obviously tough for him as a young lad who should have been out celebrating. We tried to make it an occasion for him; we had a bit of a party and managed to get some of his family in. I think the family appreciated it, but we try to go above and beyond for every patient and make them feel as comfortable as we can.”
