Working Life: Respiratory nurse, Ursula Clarke
At 22 months, my youngest, Fergal, is my alarm clock. Jack, 7, and Amy, 5, are usually just surfacing as I leave. My husband works away, so lunches and breakfast are started before the child- minder comes at 7am.
Education is a big part of my role and today I’m giving a talk with the respiratory physician to junior doctors in the emergency department. I do the practical side, showing them how to set patients up on non-invasive ventilation (NIV). It’s vital they know how to set up the equipment and I encourage them to try on the masks so they can empathise with patients when explaining how the device can help them.
The admin side of my role is important and I usually grab a coffee and scone heading to the office to catch up on emails, post, and voicemails. I also spend time contacting patients and colleagues who have queries around medication, inhalers, oxygen, and symptom management . Sometimes it’s as simple as talking to patients about their oxygen requirements — whether they need more, or if they need to be assessed for a different machine. I may have to bring some patients in for reassessment, so I sort out appointments. I’m the link between the community and the hospital for our respiratory patients in the community.
Being part of a multidisciplinary team is important, and reviewing the in-patients.
I assess patients for home oxygen and NIV, and then carry on with explaining how it’s used. I review previously-diagnosed and newly-diagnosed inpatients with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), and pulmonary fibrosis. They often have no idea what the latter two are, so I explain it and show them how to use inhalers correctly. I may also discuss smoking cessation, as this is the most important step for someone newly diagnosed with a respiratory condition.
I grab some lunch and try to catch up on different initiatives in the hospital.
Today I attend clinic where I meet patients before review by doctors, checking how they are managing their inhalers. I also see patients’ pulmonary function tests, which allow us to diagnose and manage respiratory conditions.
When I get home I park my respiratory thoughts to spend time with my kids.
