Celebrating our Nurses and Operating Department Practitioners

When a patient has surgery, it brings together multi-disciplinary teams from across the hospital. Two such teams are nursing and operating department practitioners (ODPs).This year, the national days that recognise both professions (International Nurses Day and National Operating Department Practitioners Day) both fall in mid-May, so Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) were pleased to throw a day of joint celebrations. This recognised how GOSH nurses and ODPs work side-by-side during a patient’s perioperative journey to deliver excellent care to the children and young people we look after.

A variety of events took place on the day, kicking off with a breakfast to thank night staff. The afternoon followed with nursing and ODP teams holding a stall to inform fellow colleagues, as well as our patients and families, of the work of both professions. Later in the day an afternoon tea took place in the hospital Lagoon restaurant, for our nurses and ODPs to reflect and enjoy a well-deserved cup of tea and cake with their colleagues.

We spoke to Ellie Fewkes-Woodrow, a newly qualified nurse on Koala Ward. This is her first International Nurses’ Day.

“I always knew I wanted to work with children and I’m really proud to work at GOSH. I just love how with kids you get to enjoy playing and having fun with them.

“It’s incredible being part of such a great team. We wouldn’t be able to do our job if it wasn’t for the amazing kitchen staff, students, HCAs, nurses, doctors, ODPs, advanced nurse practitioners, ward sisters, practice facilitators, everyone! We all work together as one team and we’re so grateful for one another.”

Operating Department Practitioners at GOSH work in all areas of theatres, as well as in anxiety management, risk and simulation. There are three main areas of ODP qualification – anaesthetics, scrub, and recovery.

Jess Sutton, Senior ODP at GOSH explained: “Families meet so many people when they come to hospital, which is why they might not know about ODPs or what we do. For a patient coming to theatres, they’ll encounter an ODP and won’t necessarily know it.”

Celebrating her second International Nurses’ Day at GOSH, our Chief Nurse Alison Roberston shared her thoughts on the day: “I am delighted to be celebrating my second International Nurses’ Day at GOSH and am especially pleased to partner with our fantastic ODPs.

“Recognising and respecting the many different roles we have across the hospital makes for great teamwork and, most importantly, great care for our children and young people.

“My thanks to all of the nurses - from healthcare assistants to nurse consultants and everyone in between - I hope that you all find some time to celebrate your achievements and successes and I look forward to another busy but rewarding year.”