Nurses on Middlesbrough's wards say Christmas can be a fun time of year to work

Dawn McCabe and Jan Murphy are working on Ward 22 at James Cook University Hospital across the festive season.

Published 22nd Dec 2015

Nurses who're spending the festive season working on Middlesbrough's childrens wards say despite many children being very ill, it can be a very festive time to work.

Due to serious illness, some Teesside families will be spending Christmas Day in hospital.

For staff working on Ward 22 in James Cook University Hospital, it's their job to make the children feel as festive as possible over the festive season.

Nursery nurse Dawn McCabe said: "Probably from early December we're aware we need to make it Christmassy.

"We organise for children to do craft activities and we go out and buy presents for the children we know are going to be in at Christmas.

"You just have to think how it is for them, we can go home at the end of a shift, some of them can't."

Fellow nurse Jan Murphy says despite many children being poorly, it can be a busy time.

She said: "I love Christmas, we love decorating the wards to make it nice.

"My children are grown up so it's nice to come into work and still be able to do arts and crafts things with them.

"I personally think it's a nice time of year to work, I enjoy it."