This International Nurses’ Day, the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) is celebrating the 105 registered nurses who work for the region’s ambulance service.
SWASFT’s nurses form part of the clinical team in roles from senior leadership to working in patient-facing roles such as ambulance nurses and within the Trust’s Emergency Operations Centres, where 999 calls are received.
Ambulance nurses work as part of a clinical two-person ambulance crew and respond to life-threatening emergencies within the community.
In SWASFT’s two Emergency Operation Centre’s, one in Exeter and one in Bristol, nurses work alongside paramedics, doctors, midwives, and mental health specialists as triage clinicians to provide clinical assessments over the phone to ensure people get the most appropriate care at the right time.
Jane Chandler, Executive Director of Quality Patient Care at the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, said: “I would like to say a big ‘thank you’ to all our incredible nurses for the invaluable contribution they bring to the Trust and our local communities every single day.
“Often people don’t associate nurses with working within the ambulance service, but as SWASFT’s Chief Nurse, I am proud that we have almost doubled the number of nurses employed by the Trust in a range of roles and settings over the last year, which demonstrates the value SWASFT places on the need for investment within nursing.
“All our nurses deliver an essential service to provide the best care for people when they need it the most.”
International Nurses’ Day 2024 is on Sunday 12 May, the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth. The international day provides the opportunity to say thank you to nurses around the world for their dedication to patient care. This year’s theme is our nurses, our future, the economic power of care.
A registered nurse qualification offers a wealth of career opportunities at the ambulance service. SWASFT frequently recruits for new people to work in a wide range of roles via their website.