Following an unusual path through healthcare has given Senior Theatre Practitioner Kerry Scott a wonderful tale to tell about her journey into the NHS.
Leaving school at the age of 18, Kerry decided to take on a number of jobs before deciding to join the healthcare industry. She said: “I’d originally joined the hospital as a cleaner and worked my way up to a healthcare assistant and then went onto work within the operating department.”
Understanding how important cleanliness is to the welfare of patients is a great discipline for anyone working within the operating theatre environment, so Kerry had a good head start on moving into her role in theatres. Working within theatres is not for the faint-hearted, but for the mum-of-two Kerry, it’s where she feels most comfortable and loves every moment.
She smiled: “It gives me a great sense of satisfaction. We save lives and make a difference to our patients on a daily basis.
“I feel extremely proud, especially when I see the patients’ recovery.”
As a senior theatre practitioner, Kerry’s main responsibility is to ensure all the equipment is clean and ready for operations. She also works with anaesthetists and supports surgeons during operations.
She said: “It’s a fast-paced and challenging environment, as you get to work on many difficult cases. Our theatres team have some of the best surgeons and doctors in the country and it’s wonderful to work along with them and help our patients. We’re currently looking for more theatre staff to join our team, so are holding a recruitment day on 26th January at Sandwell Hospital, I highly recommend theatre practitioners looking for a new challenge to come along.”
Kerry, 45, credits her team for her success. She said: “We are a close-knit team and we support each other in many ways. If a new person joins, no matter what their rank is, they will always have a buddy to support them in the first three months, so they can learn quickly and adapt to the new environment.
“We often go out with each other after work and if a member of the team is having a challenging time at home or at work, we always support them.
“I also feel grateful to my team and the Trust for investing in my development. I don’t think I would be where I am today without their support and encouragement.”
For her next challenge, Kerry and one of her colleagues will be looking at equipping the Midland Metropolitan Hospital with cutting edge technology for the department.
She said: “This is part of our big plan to prepare for the moving to the new hospital, which is due to open in 2022. We want to make sure our theatres have the best facilities so that we can provide great care.”
So where does she get her inspiration from? “My dad is my hero”, she explained. “He always works hard and is always helpful. He is kind to everyone and that really inspires me.”
- The theatres recruitment open day will be held at the Education Centre, Sandwell Hospital, on Saturday 26 January, between 9.30am – 2pm. For more information, please visit http://www.swbhjobs.co.uk/our-events/