60 seconds with Community Nurse Award winner Anne Thomas
Outpatients staff nurse Anne Thomas says nurses should help patients manage their conditions in the community
Anne Thomas. Picture: David Gee
Staff nurse Anne Thomas won the RCNi Nurse Awards Community category for her health promotion outreach work supporting men in her rural community. She trained as a nurse and midwife in South London in the early 1980s. Moving to North Wales in 1985, she worked on Dolgellau Hospitals medical ward before becoming a district nursing and community midwifery sister. She returned to Dolgellaus midwifery unit in 1992 but was transferred to her current role in outpatients in 1998 after a diagnosis of epilepsy. She is married, with a son and daughter in their 20s.
What are your main work responsibilities? My core role is ensuring that outpatient clinics run smoothly, safely and efficiently, but we have developed as a health promotion hub, taking
...Outpatients staff nurse Anne Thomas says nurses should help patients manage their conditions in the community
Staff nurse Anne Thomas won the RCNi Nurse Awards Community category for her health promotion outreach work supporting men in her rural community. She trained as a nurse and midwife in South London in the early 1980s. Moving to North Wales in 1985, she worked on Dolgellau Hospital’s medical ward before becoming a district nursing and community midwifery sister. She returned to Dolgellau’s midwifery unit in 1992 but was transferred to her current role in outpatients in 1998 after a diagnosis of epilepsy. She is married, with a son and daughter in their 20s.
What are your main work responsibilities?
My core role is ensuring that outpatient clinics run smoothly, safely and efficiently, but we have developed as a health promotion hub, taking health education into the community.
Who are your clients/patients?
We have 15 visiting consultant-led specialities and many nurse-led services, so we welcome a wide range of patients.
What do you love about your job?
Making a difference to the health of our community.
What do you find most difficult?
Our challenge is providing support for self-care with no extra cost to the NHS.
What is your top priority at work?
Making health education central to all care for every patient, and supporting health and well-being where it is most needed.
How have you developed your skills in this role?
Through networking, particularly with the third sector. For example, the British Heart Foundation provides training, support and materials so I can provide information effectively to improve heart health.
What has been your most formative career experience?
Working as a district nurse and community midwife helped me to see patients as people in their community rather than in neat beds on a ward.
What career advice would you give your younger self?
Most of the time patients are doing their best to manage their conditions in their community, and it is our duty to help them to do this.
- Read more about Anne's work in the community here and her health promotion projects in her hospital here
Nursing Standard would like to thank Superdrug for sponsoring the Community Nursing award at the RCNi Nurse Awards 2017
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