Can you tell us about your career journey?
Once I knew I wanted to pursue a career in nursing, I studied and trained at Royal Brompton Hospital. I spent time in the adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) service on Paul Wood Ward, which was where I developed a deep interest in the field. After qualifying as a nurse, I worked there for a couple of years and undertook a master’s at Imperial College London where I looked at the quality of life of congenital heart disease (CHD) patients.
After 5 years of working at Royal Brompton Hospital, I moved to Evelina London Children’s Hospital and St Thomas’ Hospital. I worked there for almost 10 years and spent time looking after young adults with CHD, supporting them with their transition and transfer of care from the paediatric services at Evelina London to the adult services at St Thomas’.
I then moved back to Royal Brompton Hospital during the height of Covid-19 in 2020 to take on my current role as lead for the ACHD service as a clinical nurse specialist.
What drew you to become a clinical nurse specialist in congenital heart disease?
It’s a life-long disease and you look after patients from all walks and at all stages of life.
The life-long aspect of CHD, as well as the acute aspect where patients come to us very unwell and need life-saving treatment in hospital, means it requires collaboration across different teams and departments to effectively cater to patients’ needs. I learn from colleagues who I work closely with as part of a multidisciplinary team made up of a number of health professionals, such as nurses, consultants, anaesthetists, radiographers, and many more.
What do you do day-to-day as a lead clinical nurse specialist for ACHD?
A typical day involves seeing patients in our clinic to provide information and advice about their condition and how to manage it, as well as facilitating admission for patients staying in the hospital.
Besides clinical work, a big part of my role is service development and helping to educate and empower ACHD patients. I helped create the educate and empower series for ACHD patients on the hospitals’ website, a resource which aims to give patients access to information to help them lead richer and more independent lives.
I’m also heavily involved in research and was recently appointed as chair of the British Adult Congenital Cardiac Nurses Association (BACCNA). This involves working with colleagues nationally and internationally to share knowledge and best practice and provide the latest evidence-based information on CHD.
What is different or unique about the ACHD service at Royal Brompton?
Royal Brompton Hospital has the largest, oldest and most complex cohort of ACHD patients in the UK. Our team is made up of highly skilled and world-renowned specialists, so we regularly receive requests for patients from across the country to be seen by us or to provide a second opinion on more complex cases.
The ACHD clinical nurse specialist team run a day case service 3 days a week for patients from all over the country. In this ‘one-stop clinic’ we carry out several tests and consultations. Results are then taken to the multidisciplinary team for discussion. A recent evaluation of this service showed an overall positive experience for patients.
What do you love most about your job?
No 2 days are the same. One day you’re looking after a patient who is pregnant and needs advice and support, the next day it could be a young adult, while the one after that could be a patient needing support with their end-of-life care.
Every day is different and I think that’s the beauty of it. I see patients, families, carers and fellow colleagues daily and there’s always something new that I learn from them.
What are some of the advancements you’ve seen in ACHD over the years?
There’s a lot of research happening into ACHD and pregnancy both locally and internationally, as women with CHD have a higher risk of complications during pregnancy. We have specialised services for high-risk pregnancies in collaboration with St Thomas’ Hospital and Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, providing comprehensive care for women with CHD. These partnerships, along with other cross-site collaborations, has established us as the largest cardio-obstetric centre in the UK.
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is commonly linked to ACHD. It’s a rare heart and lung condition where the pressure in the pulmonary arteries (the blood vessels that carry blood from heart to the lungs), is higher than normal. We’re the largest PH centre for ACHD patients in the UK, offering unparalleled expertise and care for this complex patient population.
Advancements in surgical techniques and minimally invasive procedures have also revolutionised the treatment of ACHD. At Royal Brompton Hospital, our state-of-the-art imaging centre is equipped with the latest technology and staffed by specialists dedicated to the diagnosis and management of ACHD patients.
We’re also taking a more holistic approach to our care by considering the physical, social, and psychological aspects of the disease. This is important because it’s a life-long disease and because there are now more adult patients than paediatric patients with CHD.
Personally, I’m currently pursuing a PhD on ACHD and heart failure, looking specifically at how we can improve patients’ quality of life.
What advice would you give to someone considering a career in the NHS?
All aspects of the NHS, whether you work in a clinical setting or not, is about caring and providing support in some way. If you like working with people and want to provide care to others, then a career in the NHS could be for you.
There are plenty of opportunities to develop and grow within the NHS, and I would encourage anyone interested to consider any shadowing opportunities and to talk to as many people as you can. Working in this organisation equips you with skills you’ll have for life. I started out in a very junior role and now I’m pursuing a PhD!