A supportive, dynamic nurse who cares for his patients exquisitely, and a hard-working healthcare assistant with brilliant communication skills are the winners of April’s You Made a Difference awards.
Salvatore Ippolito joined CUH in March 2017 as an EU registered nurse awaiting PIN, working on ward C6 as a band 5 nurse. Over the next few years Salvatore progressed his career and in January 2021 he became an acting band 7 nurse on a Covid ward, supporting the substantive band 7 colleague who was shielding and working from home.
Salvatore brought the team back to G3 in mid-February, where he continued his acting band 7 role, helping the ward settle back in as a medical unit, whilst ensuring the safety of patients, supporting staff and contributing to patient flow.
He contributed to an Instagram career event, giving advice and support to those thinking of having a career at CUH. Salvatore has also helped to develop and motivate the team, bringing in new ideas.
Salvatore is a friendly, supportive, positive and dynamic individual who rarely sits still and never stops learning. During his time as a band 7, Salvatore worked hard and faced many challenges, but he was able to engage, motivate, and encourage staff to succeed.
This is reflected in the winning nomination which told us:
This young nurse was at his second shift on ICU and he cared for his patient in the most exquisite way possible. Despite having to learn as the day went by, you could see his determination in making his patient comfortable and safe. After a tiring and long procedure, he comforted his patient, spoke to his family and took time to prep him for a video call. You could see the joy in him seeing his patient finally able to speak with his family. He truly made a difference to them.
Salvatore works tirelessly, is always bright and cheerful and happy to contribute. He does not shy away from helping health care assistants make beds after a discharge or pushing beds across the hospital to move patients from his ward to the next one to free acute capacity.
We want to nominate Salvatore for the excellent contribution he made during the Covid winter. Salvatore was part of the team relocated to ward D7 and under his leadership, the ward flourished, the patients were safe and staff happy. We want to recognise his effort in giving it his all to make it possible for us to work with acutely unwell patients and only focusing our attention to them, knowing that he was taking care of all the rest. He is a true example of what a good, inspired and strong leader is supposed to be. Thank you for making our stay on D7 Red the best we could have hoped for.
Sarah Chapman is a healthcare assistant on ward A5, joining in May 2020, following redeployment from a different ward due to the Covid pandemic. Sarah is a registered nurse and returned to nursing as a healthcare assistant following some time away for her family. Sarah’s move to ward A5 was only meant to be temporary, but she requested to stay permanently as she likes the ward and team so much.
Sarah is hardworking and an asset to the A5 team, providing brilliant communication skills to patients and their relatives, which alone can make such a massive difference to a patient’s hospital experience. She has a lovely bedside manner with her patients, always showing empathy and adapting easily to meet all of her patient’s individual needs.
Excerpts from the winning nomination from a grateful patient said:
“In early March I found myself sitting in the discharge lounge waiting to be discharged from hospital. There were several patients waiting to be discharged, one of which had been through a recent trauma and was obviously very anxious, tearful and struggling to cope with the situation of thinking about leaving the safety of the hospital.
“I wanted to help the distraught patient myself but then in walked healthcare assistant Sarah, joining her shift. She immediately noticed the tension and went directly to the distressed patient with a gentle and warm manner. Sarah had a very natural and personal approach as she addressed the patient and shortly she withdrew the patient from the room, arm supporting her. A while later they returned, tears shed but looking calmer than before, with Sarah following her closely with a kind hand to the patient's shoulder.
This moment was one of those stand out moments where the kind soul giving care needs to be seen. I had felt tearful to see such a warm, gentle, personal approach to an individual suffering in a way most will never experience.
Every patient in the room was affected by the situation and the wonderful healthcare assistant. Where would we be without them - grateful thanks to Sarah Chapman.