Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµios

Returning to work for the Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµios after more than 30 years

Posted on: Thursday 22 Oct 2020

Karen Turner
Care Support Worker, Karen Turner

Karen Turner worked as a nurse for the Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµios in her early 20s, and after many years working in the commercial world in travel and photography, she has recently joined #teamHDFT in a care support role.

At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic Karen was working part-time for Harrogate and District Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµios Foundation Trust as an administrator for Paediatric Speech and Language Therapy in Hambleton and Richmondshire.

She had already been considering re-joining the Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµios in a clinical role after supporting her father through a long illness. The call to redeploy staff in response to Covid-19 prompted Karen to get in touch with HR and explain she was an ex Enrolled Nurse and could offer support with hands on care.

“I was keen to have a role with patient contact again and also wanted to help with the virus,� says Karen who is now working on Littondale Ward in a Care Support Worker role after completing the necessary training.

“Returning to the Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµios just before the pandemic started, oddly gave me the opportunity to go back to hands on care, and it’s been a real privilege and very rewarding. It’s brought back skills that I thought I didn’t have any longer, and given me the opportunity to learn lots of new skills.

“Things have changed a great deal since I worked in the Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµios over 30 years ago but you start remembering structures and care procedures on a ward very quickly.

“Being part of a team in an organisation where the focus is caring for others gives me a great sense of reward. At the end of a long shift walking out of the hospital, exhausted but knowing you have done something really worthwhile, is a great feeling.�

If you are interested in returning to work in the Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµios, please contact our Careers Team [email protected].