The South Yorkshire NHS staff up for national nursing award
They have both been nominated by former patients who say they went the extra mile to help care for them
Two South Yorkshire nurses have been nominated for a national award – by patients who say they went the extra mile to help care for them.
Joan Pons Laplana was working in intensive care through the pandemic and has been nominated for the Royal College of Nursing award by former stroke patient Graham Rodgers.
Graham spent months at Hallamshire Hospital, initially in a coma, and says Joan went out of his way to look after him:
“‘I spent 11 weeks in the Hallamshire Hospital ITU, then weeks on the stroke ward. I owe my life to the many consultants, doctors, dedicated nurses and all who work at our amazing hospitals. But Jo deserves a special nomination.
“As I could not have any visitors, my brother Alan called ITU three times a day to see how I was. Jo assured him that he would be my brother in his place and take good care of me.
“Jo spent lots of time talking to me while I was in my coma. Alan mentioned that I was a musician and used to live in Nashville writing songs. Jo played them on a small speaker by my bedside. He noticed my heart rate increased when my music was played - that I was in there somewhere.
“I remember hearing some music at the end of a long dark corridor. The music got louder and I heard women talking about the songs and realised that the songs were mine. That is when, to the delight of everyone, I finally woke up!
“Jo came to see me straight away but I didn’t recognise him or remember his chats with me. I was transferred to the stroke ward and wondered about the “Spanish Jo” who’d been such a part of my adventure.
“I finally got in contact with Jo and it was a very emotional conversation.
“‘After the stroke damage I could no longer play the guitar or sing. I was devastated but my friends encouraged me to return to music, resulting in a comeback concert in December 2022.
“Some of the ITU nurses came to see me including Jo. I had to learn guitar all over again to do this but Jo knew how much it meant to me. He was with me all the way helping, organising and getting me to TV studios and radio stations. I found out that Jo has been diagnosed with PTSD from working as an ITU nurse during the pandemic and had to leave his role.
“He is still working for the NHS and he spends a lot of his time fundraising for NHS charities by writing and self-publishing a book on his experiences as a nurse and selling it online. Jo also runs marathons, raising funds for Chesterfield Ashgate Hospice. He is an amazing person.
“We met in terrible circumstances but are now in regular contact and he remains interested in my welfare and ongoing recovery. He never stops giving me encouragement. The world is a much better place for having Jo in it!”
Also nominated for the award is mental health staff nurse Chloe who works for Sheffield Health and Social Care.
She was nominated by Mizata Kamara for ‘changing her life and giving her the prospect of a future’:
“Despite nearly a year acutely struggling with mental health and still having a long journey ahead, I'm now planning to attend university in 2024, learning to drive and volunteering.
“I came into Dovedale adult inpatient mental health services aged 18, youngest on the ward, autistic and first admission of my life. Ageing out of the foster care system meant no family support. I was scared, hopeless and feeling pretty let down. I believed any service was wasted on me.
‘But Chloe saw strength in me and worked through my complex trauma, depression adapting care to my needs each day.
“For weeks, I would not talk or leave my room. Chloe dedicated daily time to build trust, rapport and get to know me. She helped create a communication system to support me in verbalising my feelings and helping staff understand me.
“Having sensory issues/autism means I'm easily overwhelmed, require predictability and have distressing meltdowns on busy wards. She provided quiet spaces and created a sensory room to help calm me. She used open, clear and non judgmental communication especially if my autism meant I bombarded her with lots of anxieties, doubts and what ifs.
“I’m black with Afro-Caribbean, very coily, hard-to-manage hair but Chloe would ring round nearby salons to find someone to help when I was feeling so low and unable to care for it myself. She searched online for protective hairstyles and ways to manage them when an appointment got cancelled causing distress.
“Chloe advocated for me and taught me I was worth fighting for. I didn't have family attending team meetings but Chloe ensured my care was as exceptional as for anyone else. She made the ward a community, buying drinks and snacks for New Year’s Eve with her own money so those who couldn't go home got to celebrate.
“Once I was feeling better, Chloe helped me plan goals, learn skills and aspire to things for the future. She helped me believe I could get back into education or work. She advocated for me to start some volunteering at the children's hospital, giving me motivation and purpose.
“Chloe deserves this award because she gave me the chance to work through my past, live through my present and have a chance at a future despite the adversities. I've never felt so understood and accepted for who I am.”
The award will be decided by a public vote via the Royal College of Nursing website.