International Nurses Day is celebrated around the world every year on 12^th May, marking the contributions nurses make to society on the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth. We are proud to be celebrating more than 30 Registered Nurses who we employ across our three care homes.

Nursing in care homes differs from nursing in hospitals. In care home nursing there is the opportunity to spend a substantial amount of time with residents for months or years as opposed to days or weeks. As such, care home nurses have the chance to build deep relationships with residents, their family, and their significant others.

Francesco Tormentoni originally trained in Italy, where he first volunteered with the ambulance service before becoming a nurse in 2014. He has been a nurse with Guild Care since the beginning of the year. He said, “In hospital, you try to make a relationship with [patients] that doesn’t go more than one or two weeks. Working in a care home, the residents become a part of your family and you can start to build a longer relationship with them. You have the opportunity to work a care plan for the long term, so you can see what real difference you make to them.”

Francesco added, “I’ve worked in different care and nursing homes but what I see and feel here is a family atmosphere. The staff are really caring with the residents and the management side is brilliant, they support you with whatever problems you have, they are there for you. We work really well as a team and I’ve never felt like that in any other care home.”

Francesco with a Linfield House resident.

Long term care requires a person and relationship centred approach. Therefore, it is important to recognise that the care home is the person’s home as well as a place of care, and that creating a sense of a family unit will help their transition into the home.

Martin Gallagher, who works in our Linfield House care home, has been a nurse for 34 years. He has been with us for 16 years, enjoying the time he is able to spend with residents, getting to know them and establishing a nice rapport.

Martin said, “It’s like a family affair, we’re not really classed as nurses as such, we’re more classed as helpers and friends and the residents enjoy that environment. I love my residents, I’m 66 now and I still come back for more.”

Martin in Linfield House.

Care home nurse positions are also available to bank staff like Vigi, who has been a nurse for 15 years and who is currently working in both the NHS and care homes as a bank RN.

Vigi works two half day shifts a month at Linfield House. She said, “This just suits me really well and fits in with my family life. I am very happy here, it has a lovely homely feel to it and I feel very supported by the team and management.”

Martin and Vigi outside of Linfield House.

Debbie Dollner, Guild Care Chief Operating Officer, said, “Nursing is now a very varied profession with roles held in many different setting, including care homes. Guild Care nurses value the opportunity to support their residents and family members to live as independently as possible, whilst receiving the ongoing daily care and support that they need.”

If you would like to find out more about working as a Registered Nurse within a care home environment then please contact the Recruitment Team on 01903 863154 or email [email protected].

If you're interested in our care homes, you can read more here. Alternatively, please get in touch with our friendly Customer Service Team on 01903 327327 or [email protected].