To mark International Day of the Nurse 2023, NHSGGC is celebrating the fantastic contribution nurses make to the health service by spotlighting some staff working across departments and united under the delivery of high-quality person centred care.
Name: Dr Lisa Herring
Role: Advanced Nurse Practitioner at the Flow Navigation Centre (FNC)
How did you get into nursing?
Prior to becoming a nurse, I was a stay at home mum – I’m good at taking care of people. My children were getting older and I wanted to be able to use that caring ability in my career. I’ve also always had a knack for understanding medical terminology so it was a natural choice. I wondered about being a nurse for a long time, but one day I decided to stop wondering and actually do it!
What has your experience been like?
I graduated as a nurse in 2014 in Reno, Nevada and I achieved my doctorate in 2021 from the University of Nevada. Between then and now I’ve worked with patients in variety of services. I was an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) in Reno and I also worked in in cardiac medicine, home help nursing as well as in an A&E for five years.
I joined the Flow Navigation Centre at the QEUH in January this year.
Day-to-day at the FNC?
The FNC is essentially the digital front-door for A&E. Patients come through NHS24 and I see and treat all kinds of injuries and illnesses. We handle a lot of MIU patients in addition to complex medical calls. Every day is a new challenge. I’ve learned new skills in being able to help patients over video and telephone. In many cases we provide enough care over video or telephone so the patient can be discharged with no onwards treatment required which is a fantastic way of supporting patients in their communities and helping them avoid trips to hospital altogether. For others, we can scheduled appointments at the MIU, or we might refer them to another more appropriate service. We also act as the centre for delivering pre-hospital care for suspected COVID-19 patients who may need additional medical attention.
What do you like about working at the FNC?
The value we provide to patients is undeniable. People are extremely thankful for the service. We can keep them out of hospital in many instances, and if they do need to go to MIU for example, we can give them an appointment so they don’t need to wait in a queue. It’s a wonderful way to practice nursing – it takes some learning to get used to and there are some nuances – but I can see it’s a crucial unscheduled care service and an important ‘front-door’ to help us ensure the patient gets the best care experience, to protect our own physical EDs which remain stretched.
Can you sum up what you love about nursing the most?
Connecting with patients.
