How to keep motivated in your nursing job when times are tough

Three nurses share their inspirations, how to make the most of work opportunities, why support from colleagues is important, and what gets them excited for 2025

Do you remember what made you want to become a nurse? When things get tough at work, it can be helpful to reconnect with why you came to love nursing in the first place.

So as the new year gets going and winter pressures put a strain on the workforce, the Nursing Standard podcast brings three nurses together to talk about why they went into the profession and how they maintain their enthusiasm for work.

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How nurses can stay motivated and inspired 

Ana Waddington, a former RCN Nurse of the Year, is the paediatric critical care outreach team lead and Martha’s Rule lead at the Royal London Hospital. She discusses how making the most of new opportunities keeps her motivated.

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Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust chief nursing officer Nathan Askew talks about how switching off from work and maintaining other passions helps to refresh his love for the job. 

And Harley Street Clinic lead radiotherapy clinical nurse specialist Jane Ewang describes the support and inspiration she receives from colleagues, both in her day job and in her work with the UK Oncology Nursing Society.

Tips on getting through tough times at work

The three tell Nursing Standard content editor and podcast host Alistair Mason some of the best advice they have received as nurses and offer tips on staying motivated when work is particularly tough.

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They also talk about the improvements they have seen in the profession over the course of their careers and highlight the things that are getting them excited for 2025.

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