Hospital Heroes – July 2020

At St John & St Elizabeth Hospital, we take huge pride in the amazing work of our team and their dedication to our mantra: Putting People First.

We have over 570 people working for us across 41 departments and consider each and every one integral to the smooth running of the hospital.

Our Hospital Hero series gives us the opportunity to share their stories, to learn about different roles and to better understanding what it is that appeals to them about caring for patients.

Be sure to follow the hospital’s Instagram account (@stjohnandstelizabethhospital) for our latest portraits and keep an eye on the hospital website for a monthly round-up.

Raissa Angela Deveza, Senior Staff Nurse

I didn’t see myself becoming a nurse when I was younger, it was my father who encouraged me to try it. In healthcare, he saw a good opportunity for me and in me, he saw that I could be a caring person. I would really give credit to my father for me becoming a nurse. After ten years, I can truly say I love my job. I couldn’t see myself doing anything other than nursing.

I’m now a senior staff nurse having started at St John & St Elizabeth in the St Francis Ward in June 2017. Our ward is a surgical unit which caters mostly towards urology, gynaecology and aesthetic surgical cases. We look after patients before and after they go into surgery.

As an infection prevention and control practitioner, I also audit our ward to make sure our unit is compliant with the standards for infection control. Environment audits and hand hygiene audits have been particularly important during COVID-19. We regularly check everyone is doing their hand hygiene in line with World Health Organization and NICE guidelines.

I’ve been on a real journey here, I’ve seen myself grow. The support I get from my manager is immense. She pushes me to become the best that I can be and challenges me every day. I think one of the most important things I’ve learned from her, particularly in recent months, is that you should always see adversity as an opportunity. I’ve lived with that motto here and it’s helped me become more versatile.

During COVID-19, our ward was closed so we supported other departments, including St John’s Hospice. It’s been a great opportunity to learn new expertise like palliative care. We’re now getting back to normal with the NHS giving us the green light to start treating our patients alongside our ongoing support of the NHS.

Madeline Fletcher, Marketing Assistant

I was applying for jobs after I’d graduated when I spotted the Marketing Assistant position being advertised on LinkedIn. It was exactly what I wanted, so, in addition to sending my CV, I also took another copy and my portfolio to hand in at the Hospital reception. I wanted to make it known that I really wanted the job. I think that helped me in the end.

A lot of my family has worked in healthcare; my aunties, my uncles and my mother was a paediatric nurse, so I felt like I was familiar with the environment. Even though I studied history of art and publishing media, I feel like the skills I picked up at university have been really useful at the Hospital because my role is so varied.

Having just gone through a rebrand, I’m currently helping to update and change all the signage. I also help look after the website and have design responsibilities. Generally, I do lots of little jobs, including helping out with the marketing at St John’s Hospice. Whenever anyone needs a hand, I try to give my assistance.

I love our team so, so much. We all joined around the same time, which means we’re all learning and developing at the same time. I’m so lucky, you sometimes hear about people who have their dream job but they don’t enjoy it because of those around them. That’s not the case for me, the teamwork is an important aspect of why I enjoy what I do.

For my first job, I’m very privileged. It’s so interesting working in a hospital. You have to get your head around the fact you see patients every day but you get used to it very quickly. The people around you carry all the usual characteristics you might imagine of those working in a hospital; they are caring, positive and wanting to help people out.

One of my favourite parts is that our Hospital, via St John’s Hospice, benefits those who are less fortunate. I’ve had grandparents who’ve had dementia and Parkinson’s, and both received end-of-life care. I really appreciate the work that goes on at the Hospice and it’s only possible because of the funds raised by the Hospital, donations and our fundraising events.

Bircan Tunc, Senior Staff Nurse

I joined the Hospital eight years ago and work as a senior staff nurse on the St Francis Ward which mainly caters to urology, gynaecology and aesthetics surgery.

My role entails looking after patients before and after they have had surgery. I’m also one of the Hospital’s duty managers, which requires me to have an understanding of what goes on around the entire Hospital.

I absolutely love my job and what makes it even better is the people around me. My teammates are so supportive and encouraging, they inspire me every day to become better at my job.

Keep checking back each month for more updates in our Hospital Heroes series.