Simao
is a Sepsis Specialist Nurse who works across all of our hospitals. Simão said: “I always had an interest in healthcare, even when I was a kid and I know this because one of my first big words when I was growing up was ‘cardiovascular. I’m sure that I had a big influence from my mom, who was an HCA and obviously the best HCA I’ve ever seen, even though you could say I’m a bit biased.”“I got my Nursing degree in Portugal in 2013, but due to a poor job availability I decided to embark on this journey of coming to the UK (and when I say ‘poor job availability’ please do believe me, because I handed out 67 copies of my CV. I decided to start in a surgical ward, in order to get a sense first of what it is like to work on a ward, as a nurse, in the UK. I eventually progressed to critical care and then decided to join this trust. Whilst working in this trust, since 2016, I have worked in critical care, main recovery – theatres, critical care again to support during some of the most difficult times due to this pandemic. Now I work as a sepsis specialist nurse for the Trust.
“I joined this profession for the same reason why I am still here. I am a nurse because this job allows me to be there for people in a very difficult time for them, and their families and friends, and give it my all to make things better. Every day I empathise and think ‘if this was me, how would I like to be treated?
“I know that the last two years were extremely challenging. To be quite honest, it is still challenging now, because we still haven’t had the time to slow down and recharge. Working as a team means that you look after one another providing the best care possible to our patients, to our communities, regardless where you work and what your job role.”
We asked Sim how he would be celebrating Nurses Day and his reply was: “I’ll be at work of course. Where else? Ahahah.”
