Imagine a healthcare system without nurses. Can you? We can’t.

Florence Nightingale was born 200 years ago today and the 12th May is traditionally International Nurses Day. What makes it more special in 2020 is that this year is designated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife.

Florence stated that “The more experience we gain, the more progress we can make,” and it is certain that without specialist stoma nurses, as a company we would not have been able to innovate as we have. Evidence-based clinical care practices are continually improving through the work of dedicated stoma nurses and other specialist nurses such as Moira Evans, our Clinical Marketing Manager here at Welland Medical.

Moira is a registered nurse whose speciality is based around maintaining skin integrity drawing upon her clinical experiences across stoma care and tissue viability. In her role at Welland Medical she supports distributors and stoma nurses as they in turn support their patients and customers.

Her interest in wound care and tissue viability was ignited during her nurse training at the Manchester Royal Infirmary, which included rotations in stoma care and general surgery. Her motivation was in supporting improved wound care and enhancing the quality of life for the patient: “It’s like the old saying in nursing goes – it’s not about the hole in the patient, it’s about the whole of the patient.”

She went on to use her skills and knowledge working in the medical industry alongside honorary NHS contracts managing research projects related to her specialism.

Moira is delighted that 2020 is the WHO Year of the Nurse and the Midwife: “I think it’s a wonderful accolade to nurses. It’s not just how nurses care for their patients, but for their patients’ families as well.”

“As nurses, both compassion and humanity are essential. At this difficult time, we are very thankful and appreciative of the continued care and dedication given by our nurses and other healthcare staff to patients in need across the world.”

“It can be hard, and there will always be those patients you never forget.”

Welland Medical have supported the UK’s national call for nurses to return and support the NHS, by enabling Moira to return to clinical practice.

Moira will put a full-time role with us on-hold for a few months, doing what she believes is for so many nurses “a vocation, not a job,” and working as a nurse one day a week.

Today we celebrate nurses and their incalculable contribution to our health and wellbeing. Their commitment, compassion, knowledge and skills have an impact on every one of us. We especially want to acknowledge the contribution of all stoma nurses today. We value and appreciate you all very much here at Welland and are committed to working with and for you.