Belinda Watkins

Within this role, I have cared for patients who have been admitted to the Oncology and Haematology ward for emergency investigations, the administration of intense chemotherapy regimens and treating those who are acutely unwell.

I have experience in managing and coordinating an inpatient haematology ward whilst supporting colleagues with tasks and delegating roles to ensure patients care needs are met timely and safely. I have liaised with bed managers and senior staff to facilitate and promote flow between patients presenting into the emergency department, SDEC areas and admissions to the ward.

I completed my SACT passport in 2020. I can administer chemotherapy peripherally and through CVADs. Furthermore, I am trained to deal with chemotherapy extravasations and how to manage chemotherapy side effects.

I am trained in the acute oncology triage service. This is a highly responsible role where I will triage patients on a 24 hour emergency helpline who are acutely unwell. I will triage the patient and advise them accordingly by using a RAG system to score the risk of their symptoms. After conducting a thorough triage I would advise what the best intervention or referral service would be this may be to the GP, District Nurses, 111 or a referral to the medical registrar in A&E. Out of hours, I have attended to patients who have presented into the Emergency Department with neutropenic sepsis, ensuring to follow local and national guidelines.

Furthermore, I am an assessor to nursing students. This is an additional role I have trained for by enrolling on a course provided by my workplace, as I thoroughly enjoy teaching new skills to students and supporting them throughout their nursing career.

My role as a junior sister requires me to mentored junior nurses, enhancing their practical skills and knowledge base. My skills and responsibilities also involves performance evaluation by conducting annual performance appraisals. I assist in quality improvement by conducting regular audits and implement action plans to address any identified shortfalls. I have been involved in Investigating incidents or patient feedback and reporting findings to drive continuous service improvement.

Since working for NHS Professionals I have worked a variety of shifts on many different clinical locations across the hospital, including medical and surgical wards, outpatient setting and A&E. Working in different settings has allowed me to become very adaptable and quick to learn. I have been able to integrate well into diverse teams across many departments, rapidly understanding new workflows, policies, and team dynamics to ensure seamless patient care. I have delivered high-quality patient care in fast-paced, high-pressure environments while strictly adhering to organisational standards and compliance guidelines.