Exploring and developing my creative side whilst on maternity leave, and looking at how I can integrate this in to my everyday practice

Bank nurse

Temporary role

I have won the opportunity to write a blog for Virgin Money London Marathon, as well as a place in the London Marathon 2014. The blog is produced each month and details my experiences of training for the Virgin Money London Marathon 2014

I currently work as a Work Choice Advisor for Mencap. This role involves working with individuals who are referred by the DWP on to the Work Choice programme, in order to secure paid employment, training and experience. I also provide benefits advice to individuals and assist with completing benefit claim forms.This is a part time role.

This was a temporary position covering maternity leave. The main aspect of this role is visiting potentially vulnerable and/or challenging individuals in their own homes to complete financial assessments, perform benefits checks and to help individuals apply for benefits they may be entitled to. Time management skills, accurate calculations, excellent people skills and experience with Microsoft Office and SWIFT are an essential part of this role.

St Andrew's opened it's newest satellite hospital in Mansfield in September 2010. St Andrew's Nottinghamshire is a purpose built 70 bed unit offering medium and low secure services to males with learning disabilities and/or ASD.From a patient persepective my role involves working as a care co-ordinator for a number of service users, providing health promotion, medication distribution, 1-1 time as well as supporting service users in their rights. From a staffing side I work as a supervisor for staff nurses and HCA's (band 2-4), which involves providing supervision and guidance, completing probationary reviews, as well as IPDR's (appraisals). I am also heavily involved in completing the rota and work as training co-ordinator for my unit..I also work as an infection control link nurse - providing infection control training on induction and completing infection control audits, as well as undertaking training to allow me to manage situations such as outbreaks and epidemics within the healthcare environment.

I spent 4 months working as a staff nurse for Care Principles, involved in the development and opening of Mansfield House in Nottingham. Mansfield House is a step down unit aimed at providing life skills and increasing independence and confidence in males with learning disabilities and offending behaviour who have spent time in secure services.

I previously worked as a Community CAMHS Nurse as part of the i2i project, which is a pilot project set up in Hampshire, in order to reduce inappropriate tier 4 CAMHS admissions (for example out of area/private admissions, unnecessary emergency admissions). A large part of my role involved working intensively with young people and their families prior to a tier 4 admission occurring.

Staff nurse in Forensic CAMHS unit

Seconded student to complete my BSc

Staff Nurse at Oakhill Secure Training Centre

Staff Nurse at Eric Shepherd Unit - Medium Secure Unit