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A day in the life

Fiona Jenkinson

The Christie employs a wide range of staff doing very different jobs. In each edition, Chinwag will follow one member of staff to find out what a day in their life is really like…

Q. Tell us a bit about your job A . I have two roles here at The Christie, I work 30 hours a week as a sister on Palatine Ward, then every Friday I work with the chaplaincy team. Alongside my nursing qualifications I’m ordained as a priest in the Church of England. My chaplaincy role is really varied at how we can support staff and looking at creative ways we can introduce support to reach as many people as possible. Q. What’s the first thing you do when you arrive? A . If I’m on the ward it’s coffee and check the rotas before handover, if it’s a Friday it’s coffee and some quiet time in the chapel. and involves a lot of pastoral support of patients alongside support with more specific religious practices. My passion is for looking

Q. What’s the last thing you do before you leave? A . On the ward I empty all my pockets to ensure I don’t have the keys! In the chaplaincy it’s checking the communal spaces are ok and locking up. Q. What do you think makes The Christie such a special place to work? A . I’ve worked here for 19 years and can’t imagine being anywhere else. There’s a positivity and compassion amongst staff which can take your breath away, and the patients…well they really are quite special. You see people at their absolute best whilst experiencing potentially the worst things they have had to face. It really does feel like a privilege to be part of their experience here.

Q. What is a challenging part of the day? A . On the ward the challenge is trying to prioritise multiple tasks of equal importance which all need to be done at the same time. You never want to give the patients a sense that you’re rushing, so trying to be present with them whilst giving care is really important, even if your mind wants to race ahead to the next task. As a chaplain it’s the fear of not having the words you need (and sometimes there are no words) or the fear you may say the wrong thing. It’s important to give space and embrace the silences in conversations, not feeling the need to fill those silences with words. Q. What’s the high point of your day? A . In both roles it’s getting the sense you’ve made someone’s day a little easier, helped them even in just a small way.

Email press.office@christie.nhs.uk if you want Chinwag to profile your job in the next ‘A day in the life’.

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