A junior sister who made a great impact on a young patient’s journey and a staff nurse who supported a family with kindness and care were the winners of our You Made a Difference awards in November.
Sam joined the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) in October 2019 and was promoted to junior sister in January 2023.
Sam is a valued member of the team and provides excellent nursing care to critically ill children.
She is kind and empathetic and a great support for the parents and families who are distressed and anxious because of their child’s condition.
Sam is very modest about receiving this award as she believes she was just doing her job but her PICU colleagues are so proud that she has been recognised for making such an impact on a patient’s journey.
Extracts from Sam’s nomination, which was submitted by the relative of a patient, said:
“If I could nominate more CUH staff at once, I would, but Sam was amazing, and I don't know what I would have done without her.
“My older son died of a genetic condition and was in hospital for a month. In that time our little baby boy suffered seizures, died multiple times and the whole thing was horrific.
“Sam sat with my older boy and played with him. She felt more a friend to me and supported me a lot. She also looked after our little boy amazingly and treated him like her own.
“At the end she looked after my older son, held me when I cried, lifted me if I fell. Sam took care of my older son so well even once he had passed, dressing and bathing him, talking to him, doing all the little memories she thought I would like once he had gone.
She really was amazing. I will always remember her and want to thank her for everything she did for both my sons and myself.
Jenyne Mae started working in the neurosciences critical care unit (NCCU) in January 2022, but has worked within the neuro department since 2019. Jenyne Mae is one of our staff nurses, who strive endlessly to ensure we are delivering the best care to critical care patients.
Her colleagues say:
“Jenyne is an incredibly kind, caring and conscientious member of NCCU. She is incredibly hardworking, supportive, an excellent team player and has developed into a fantastic critical care nurse.”
She has also recently started her Critical Care Course with the University of East Anglia.
Extracts from Jenyne Mae’s nomination, which was submitted by the relative of a patient, said:
I spent the evening with Jenyne Mae on the first night of my dad’s admission to NCCU. It was the worst, most frightening night of my life and Jenyne Mae got me through it with her kindness and care.
“Jenyne Mae ensured that my whole family was well looked after, comfortable and had something to eat and drink. As a critical care nurse, she was very busy, but she went above and beyond and was frequently checking on us and being reassuring.
Jenyne Mae was brilliant, a godsend and we were so glad to have had her as our nurse. She was a ray of light at my darkest time and for that there are not enough thank yous. A born nurse – a real star.
