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International Nurses Day 2020: Celebrating excellence

13th May 2020

The Whiteley Homes Trust celebrated the dedication and hard work of its cohort of registered nurses on International Nurses Day yesterday with a special event and a spectacular cake! Trust CEO, Rachel Hill – an RN herself – expressed the Trust’s appreciation for their outstanding commitment on behalf of Whiteley residents and the Trust’s leadership. Urging people not to forget the vital role nurses play in social care, she said the need for excellence, especially at this time, had never been greater.

​​​​​​​“I would like to extend my thanks on behalf of the Trust to all our nurses and carers on International Nurses Day, which has become an opportunity to celebrate nurses and nursing across the world”, she said. “At a time when there is a lot of focus on NHS nurses and carers in social care, we must not forget the registered nurses working here at Whiteley and in care homes across the country.

“With the current COVID19 pandemic the need for excellence in care and nursing is more vital than ever. The skill and quality of care provided by our team is outstanding and as a nurse myself I am incredibly proud to be leading them through this challenging time. I would particularly like to thank our Nursing Manager, Rachel Smelt for organising the celebration today and providing the team with a small token of our appreciation – and also to her friend Grace for creating the amazing cake!”

Rachel Smelt, Nursing Manager said: “I’m sure I speak on behalf of all nurses everywhere when I say this year’s International Nurses Day is a momentous occasion! Not only are we celebrating nursing in the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife, but also on the 200th anniversary of the birth of trail blazer, Florence Nightingale.

“It is testament to her genius and vision that we are still using the guiding principles she laid down in infection control – principles that are still helping us save lives today. How fitting that her name was given to the hospital established to care for those affected by the current pandemic. To borrow a quote from Florence herself: “(Nursing) is the finest of fine arts”. This event gives us a rare opportunity to pause, reflect and value the work of nurses in everywhere.”