Sharon Wheeler, Chestnut Tree House: Celebrating our nursing teams

This week marks International Nurses’ Day on the 12th – a moment to pause and say a heartfelt thank you to our nursing teams here at Chestnut Tree House.

When we think about nurses, it is usually their care, compassion and kindness that come to mind first. But there is far more to nursing than these ‘soft’ skills. Behind these values are highly competent health professionals who possess a wide range of other attributes, ranging from clinical skills to advanced practice. Nurses are also communicators and leaders, with the ability to effect real change and advocate for patients.

I am proud of the diverse team of nurses we have here at Chestnut Tree House. Our people come from adult, learning disability and paediatric backgrounds and all of them bring different, valuable skills to the team.

This year, a member of the Chestnut team has successfully completed their registered nurse associate training, with a further three colleagues currently undertaking the programme. We are also incredibly proud to have supported one team member in completing her registered nurse apprenticeship. Her journey—from healthcare assistant to nurse associate, and now a registered nurse—all while working within the Chestnut team, is a powerful example of dedication and development in practice.

In addition, two of our nurses are about to begin their non-medical prescribing courses, further strengthening the care we provide.

As nurses, we hold a position of great privilege and responsibility, and with that comes the duty to use our knowledge and our voices to help shape the future of healthcare for children and young people.

This International Nurses’ Day, I celebrate and thank my amazing team, and nurses everywhere, for their compassion, commitment, and relentless drive to improve outcomes for patients and families around the world.