International Nurses Day Staff Spotlight
2 minute read
This International Nurses Day, we’re celebrating the many paths that lead people into nursing, and the incredible impact nurses make no matter where their careers take them. One of those people is Hannah, our Quality Improvement Specialist, whose journey has taken her from marketing to theatre nursing to clinical quality. Her story is a reminder that nursing careers aren’t always linear, and that following your gut can lead you exactly where you’re meant to be.
Hannah didn’t begin her career in healthcare. “Nursing wasn’t actually my first career choice,” she laughs. “I originally went into marketing. But I always had this interest in human science: the body, how it works, and especially surgery.”
At 22, working full‑time in marketing, she had a moment of clarity. “I thought, I’ve always wanted to do this – so, what’s stopping me now? Within my first year of nursing school, I knew I’d made the right decision.”
She joined Allevia Hospitals as a new graduate and spent several years in theatre, where her curiosity about systems, evidence, and improvement began to grow. “That curiosity is what nudged me toward quality improvement.”
During COVID, she explored how to specialise in the field and later moved into a Clinical Risk and Quality Advisor role with another healthcare provider, completing postgraduate study in infection prevention and control and clinical quality management. After three years, she saw the Quality Improvement Specialist role at Allevia Hospitals and felt it was time to return. “I thought, okay, time to come home. Coming back felt right.”
Hannah says her nursing background deeply shapes her work today. “For me, one of the core fundamentals of nursing has always been about being a patient advocate,” she says. “People access healthcare for a reason., Having the ability to recognise that while it may be a ‘normal’ day at work for us, may be one of the scariest days of somebody’s life. Being able to connect with our patients, show compassion, and support them through a time of vulnerability– that’s always been important to me.”
That perspective continues to guide her. “My nursing experience brings richness to what I do now. I’m able to see things through a clinical lens and offer a well-rounded perspective. While I have stepped away from clinical nursing, those fundamentals of nursing practice have stayed with me. I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to provide support, teach and learn from, my nursing colleagues here at Allevia Hospitals. Specialising in quality improvement has allowed me to contribute to making a positive difference, while continuing to advocate for patients and the nursing profession.”
She also loves the breadth of opportunities nursing offers. “I’ve met so many nurses who’ve specialised in management, IPC, health and safety, sales – it’s so broad. It really opened my eyes.”
What she enjoys most about Allevia Hospitals is the collaboration and sense of belonging. “Even walking down the corridor, everyone is friendly. When I came back in 2023, it genuinely felt like coming home.”
She’s also proud of the organisation’s evolution. “Seeing the rebranding from MercyAscot to Allevia Hospitals has been really cool. It brings a sense of pride when you see our name out there.”
And throughout her journey, she’s felt supported to grow. “There have always been opportunities: postgraduate study, quality projects, leadership programmes. There’s a lot of support to get you where you want to go.”
Happy International Nurses Day to Hannah and to all our incredible nurses across Allevia Hospitals. Thank you for your compassion, your curiosity, and the heart you bring to every part of our organisation.
