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Nurses are going the extra mile to reach work during the 'beast from the east'

Nurses are going above and beyond to get to work during the snow storms battering the UK, as one nurse is rewarded with a holiday. 

Nurses are going above and beyond to get to work during the snow storms battering the UK, as one heroic nurse is rewarded with a holiday

Nurse Kay Mayer hearing she was off to Barcelona as a reward for her heroic trek 
to work during the snow. Picture: ITV/This Morning

A nurse who filmed her intrepid ten mile trek through the snow to work has been surprised with a holiday to Barcelona.

Her story is one of many inspirational tales of nurses who have gone the extra mile in the white, wintry conditions.

Kay Mayer filmed her passage to work on Facebook Live, as she cheerfully stepped out from her home to walk for three hours to reach Lincoln County Hospital.

During the film she said: ‘It’s proper snowing, to the point it’s like being in a snow globe.

‘I’ve not even done half a mile and I’m slightly knackered already. I’m never going to get to the hospital, it’s miles, it’s miles! I’m a complete fool. Can somebody please, whoever is in A&E, get the bear hugger ready and a cannula with some warm water. I am mad yes, I know, but I love my job.

‘I tend to think, there are sicker people in hospital than me sat at home watching Jeremy Kyle or some cheesy thing on Netflix, when I could be at work doing a bed bath or giving out meds.’

Ms Mayer was later lost for words when ITV’s This Morning presenters Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby told her the programme was paying for her and her husband and son to fly to Barcelona for a three-day break.

Hero nurse @TilleyMayer and your colleagues up and down the UK - you are our #BestBits today - thank you! @Schofe @hollywills pic.twitter.com/T64WDTkjpi

— This Morning (@thismorning) March 1, 2018

The sepsis nurse is just one example of the committed efforts by nurses, emergency services and other hospital staff during the ‘beast from the east’ and Storm Emma extreme weather.

Armed forces support

Defence secretary Gavin Williamson said the Royal Air Force had been deployed in Lincoln to support nurses and doctors get to work.  

The Army has also been called in to transport health professionals around Scotland, where the Met Office issued red weather warnings. Red weather warnings mean extreme weather is expected, widespread damage, travel and power disruption and risk to life is likely, and people should avoid dangerous areas.

On the Isle of Wight, police have provided lifts to nurses in their four-wheel drive vehicles and today the Isle of Wight NHS Trust posted a plea on twitter for as many staff as possible to come in.

We need as many staff – both clinical and administration - as possible to get to St. Mary’s Hospital as possible. We are keen to hear from the owners of 4x4 vehicles who can help transport staff around the Island and to and from the hospital.

— IoWNHSTrust (@IoWNHSTrust) March 2, 2018

Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust have cancelled all non-emergency appointments today, after the Met Office yesterday said there was a danger to life.

Committed staff stay overnight to help

Across the four nations there are reports of nurses staying overnight at hospitals to ensure they can work their shifts, including at Sunderland Royal Hospital.

This was home for a night for NHS Fife advanced nurse practitioner Alex Bann two days ago.

My bed for tonight. Staying at the hospital due to the weather and also as myself and countless others are staying late and sleeping here to ensure a safe service for our patients tonight and tomorrow no matter what the weather! It's the people that make our nhs great!! @nhsfife pic.twitter.com/pKAGNdq7Vs

— Alex Bann RN (@AlexBann1) February 28, 2018

Blathin Peirce contacted Nursing Standard to thank a nurse at the Beacon Hospital, Dublin, for her efforts in treating her, despite the poor weather. She said nurse Rachael McHugh, along with 79 colleagues, were preparing to bed down on camp beds last night to ensure shifts were covered today.

Today, UK weather warnings from the Met Office have been reduced to ‘yellow’, with strong winds, rain and ice predicted.

But, snow was not an entirely unwelcome sight over the last few days.

Making dreams come true

Great Ormond Street Hospital patient Lewis Hine was worried he would miss out from his hospital bed, but kind nurses brought the snow to him.

He tweeted: 'Today has been the best day ever. Thank you. Please retweet this to show the world these amazing #NHSheroes #snowday2018 #Snowman #snowman #dreamcometrue.'

When I said I was stuck in a hospital bed and sad I couldn’t see the snow I had no idea @GreatOrmondSt would bring the snow to me! Today has been the best day ever THANK YOU please RT this to show the world these amazing #NHSheroes #snowday2018 #Snowman #snowman #dreamcometrue pic.twitter.com/ei25VL4iVZ

— Lewis Hine (@hine_hin) March 1, 2018

Elseswhere, senior managers at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust have thanked staff for a 'truly amazing effort' over the past 24 hours and are now urging patients to stay at home where possible, to prevent additional pressure on stretched services.

Other inspirational stories have been captured in a series of tweets:

One of the band members of Reverend and The Makers said age was no barrier to their nurse dad’s efforts to get to work.

My Dads a 65 year old Nurse and is walking miles to get to work today thru heavy snow where he lives

Nothing will stop him. He proper loves and believes in the NHS bless him

— Reverend&TheMakers (@Reverend_Makers) March 1, 2018

The family of young Henry Alderson who has Diamond Blackfan anaemia, a rare blood condition where the bone marrow fails to produce red blood cells, were truly grateful to their community nurse.

Massive respect to our lovely Nurse who drove a 40 mile round trip in a blizzard this morning to take Henry's blood and made sure it safely arrived at the hopsital ready for testing for his blood transfusion later this week. Hero of the day! #thankyouNHShttps://t.co/iblFfqz8it pic.twitter.com/fJHI9cP5Hw

— Henrys Little Heroes (@helpourhenry) February 27, 2018

While organ donation campaigner and lung patient Charles Michael Duke was full of praise for his dedicated nurse.

 

Just found out one of my nurses walked 5 miles in the snow to make it into work for the night shift tonight.

The NHS is full of amazing people.

— Charles Michael Duke (@Charles_MDuke) March 1, 2018

 


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