Michelle Stevens

Over seeing the effective running of the service. I also have a strong clinical role in the department alongside my managerial duties. I work within the Cath Labs clinically and in the recovery/ward area. I cover pre-assessment clinics for patients coming for Cardiac procedures ensuring they have all relative tests and information. I also undertake triage telephone calls for patients wishing to self refer for private Cardiac services within the hospital. This is a streamlined service whereby patients have a series of tests relevant to their symptoms before seeing the Cardiologist in clinic. Staff training and development is important to me and I work directly with new Cath Lab nurses to assist in knowledge and skills. I organise insitu simulation training and skill stations for the Cath Lab team.

The managerial side of my role means I ensure the department is compliant with all aspects of health and safety regulations, rostering, audits, SOP's and dealing with incidents. As a private hospital we have multiple NHS contracts which have waiting times and results managed via a tracker system to ensure a streamlined service and communication link with the relevant Trusts which I help to manage.

Similar to my current role but the WHH is a much busier NHS Cath Lab receiving patients electively, from the in-patient wards as well as direct from the ambulance service for pPCI.

The CLRN Kent was originally part of the National Institute for Heath Research which covered studies in a variety of Hospitals and Community in Kent. I coordinated and supported studies of various specialties including CTIMP studies - Cardiac (ATLANTIC Trial) Ophthalmology (MERLOT/LUMINOUS) Gastro (PLACIDE). I was also involved in data collection trials for primary biliary cirrhosis and macular degeneration.

Working within the CLRN ensured I was working to GCP regulations, gaining informed consent of eligible patients, collecting and managing trial data and site files accurately as well as liaising with the Principle investigators, research teams and sponsors.

The Cath Lab was the 1st to open in Kent outside of London so it was a steep learning curve developing the skills as scrub nurse and we went to St. Thomas' Hospital London to learn these.

Working directly with acute Cardiac patients experiencing acute MI, arrhythmias, heart blocks requiring temporary pacing, acute heart failure. Invasive monitoring and dealing with emergency situations. There was no pPCI service at this time so I would be involved with thrombolysing patients in A&E and then transferring to CCU for ongoing care and monitoring. We would also insert emergency temporary pacing wires on the unit for compromised heart blocks as again no Cath Lab existed at this time. This in some ways made the CCU a more acute unit and I am confident in dealing with emergency situations in a calm and structured manner.

A fast paced unit as a newly qualified nurse. The assessment unit at this time was for all specialties, Medical/Surgical/Gynae etc. Patients would come directly from the GP and A&E for initial tests and review before either being discharged or admitted. This was an excellent foundation to developing skills and knowledge.