Hospice launches nurse recruitment drive

Georgia Berry, 22, from Hemel Hempstead, graduated from the University of Hertfordshire last year and now works at the Hospice of St Francis in Northchurch.

She is part of Team Total Care, which is made up of nurses, clinicians and non-clinical roles who help keep the charity ticking over.

Talking about what inspired her to work in hospice care, Georgia said: “While I was training I was involved in a lot of community and hospital palliative care, and then was fortunate to get a placement at The Hospice of St Francis.

“It was really special to be able to spend quality time with patients facing a life-limiting illness and their families during precious moments, so I leapt at the chance to become a permanent member of staff after I graduated.”

Georgia, who when she’s not working loves to travel the world, says one of the most rewarding things about her job is enabling people to have a ‘good’ death.

She said: “It’s hugely fulfilling when we can be part of a patient’s experience of a good death, when they are at ease, surrounded by their loved ones and we have done everything we can to control their symptoms and pain.

“Every day at the hospice is really different. I never know what my day will look like, how many patients I’ll be caring for or how complex their needs may be.It’s never boring here. “Along with the team I’m in I will look after up to seven patients in our 14-bed inpatient unit, providing a range of care from administering drugs and pain relief to washing patients and helping them to eat.”

To encourage more people to develop their career with them, the hospice is holding three #TeamTotalCares open days next month.

The sessions will be completely informal with no obligations attached, and will explain more about the hospice, its environment, culture and benefits.

No booking is necessary and those who are interested can just turn up on Saturday, September 10 between 10am and midday; Monday, September 12 from 10am to midday and finally Tuesday September, 27 from 1.30pm to 3.30pm and again from 7.30pm to 9.30pm.

For more, log on to www.stfrancis.org.uk/opendays