An understanding and compassionate senior staff nurse and a midwife who showed incredible kindness and professionalism are our winners of the December You Made a Difference awards.
Christie joined the emergency assessment unit 3 (EAU3) as a senior staff nurse in July 2023.
She is known for her kind, professional and caring manner, treating everyone with courtesy and for her strong leadership.
Christie was a student nurse on emergency assessment unit 4 (EAU4) before moving to EAU3 and has made great strides over the years. Her colleagues say it has been a pleasure to see Christie’s development from student nurse to senior staff nurse.
Christie has impacted many patients’ lives in the short time she has been a nurse and is a real asset to our team.
Extracts from Christie’s nomination, submitted by a patient, said:
“I would like to express my gratitude to Christie for her help during my recent emergency visit to the hospital. I had spent hours in the emergency department, urgent treatment centre and the emergency eye clinic and, as a breast feeding mum, needed to express milk while waiting.
“I was then moved to EAU3 and still needed to express to send the expressed milk bottles home so that my newborn daughter could continue feeding at home, but had no bottles to do so.
“When I explained my situation to Christie, she was understanding and made a pathway for this situation. She made calls to the Rosie Hospital and managed to collect bottles for me to express into. She made plans to collect more bottles throughout the night and received advice from the Rosie and paediatric emergency department staff about how to store my expressed milk.
“The relief I felt knowing that I could continue expressing milk for my newborn daughter was immeasurable.
In an incredibly difficult time, Christie offered some relief through her kindness, understanding and compassion.
Christie demonstrated our Trust values in these moments, and we are very grateful for her response. This nomination has also highlighted issues with breast feeding facilities for those who attend our hospitals in an emergency situation - colleagues from emergency medicine and obstetrics are now working to improve access to those facilities.
Victoria started at the Rosie Hospital as a student midwife in 2005. She graduated from Anglia Ruskin University and started working as a qualified midwife at the Rosie in 2008.
Before moving to London in 2011, Victoria and two of her colleagues organised a sponsored swim to raise money for the Rosie.
Victoria returned from London to work at the Rosie in 2017 and is now a senior band 6 midwife and part of the core delivery unit team. Victoria has assisted with everything from breech and pool deliveries to bereavement care and IV drug management and continues to be a valued member of the team.
Victoria is conscientious, reliable and willing to work in other areas of the delivery unit as required. It is always a pleasure to work with her.
Extracts from Victoria’s nomination, submitted by a patient, said:
“I would like to nominate midwife Victoria Reeves for the most incredible kindness, professionalism, calmness and compassion during the birth of my daughter who was stillborn. A day we will remember for the rest of our lives.
“Midwives are unsung heroes and deserve to be recognised over and above.
We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to Victoria for helping us through what was one of the most difficult times of our lives.
“You were there from the beginning right through until the end of our birthing experience. Words cannot describe how grateful I am to you for delivering my first baby who was born at 21 weeks, sleeping.
“I still remember how you treated our daughter that night, with love and care. Victoria made the birth and labour so special despite the great levels of sadness and outcome.
“She reassured me throughout the labour and talked me through every aspect. She provided the highest quality of care to us during what was a very busy night shift and we will be forever grateful.
Her selflessness, calmness, professionalism and care gave me a positive birthing experience, and in turn how I remember my only time with my daughter.
“We will be forever grateful to her for delivering our precious daughter in the most gracious and dignified way. Over the past few weeks, we have been spending time processing what happened, and we will always remember how she cared for us all.
“She is our shining light and an asset to the Rosie Delivery Unit. I really hope this makes its way to her, as she deserves to be recognised for her outstanding care, capability and kindness. Thank you.”