UHNM Employee of the Month: Natalie Robinson

A Practice Development Nurse has been named University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) Employee of the Month for February in recognition of her commitment to staff development, patient safety and team wellbeing.

Natalie Robinson, who works in Theatres at the Royal Stoke University Hospital was nominated by Therese Casanova-Davies, directorate manager for anaesthetics, theatres and critical care.

Natalie was praised for her support of multidisciplinary theatre teams across the Royal Stoke, where around 400 members of staff work across seven theatre areas to deliver both elective and emergency care.

Therese said: “Natalie has gone above and beyond on multiple occasions to implement positive changes, support the multidisciplinary theatre teams with training and work on long-term projects. The work of the practice development team is crucial in ensuring our staff are supported in their development and wellbeing, both professionally and individually.

“As part of her role, Natalie works collaboratively with both clinical and non-clinical colleagues to develop innovative teaching approaches and new training packages. She recently completed training to deliver both basic life support and immediate life support within the same week, enabling her to share vital life-saving knowledge with colleagues across theatres.

“Natalie has also achieved her professional nurse advocate accreditation, allowing her to provide restorative supervision and support to colleagues. This has already proven highly successful and is expected to play a key role in improving staff wellbeing and reducing sickness absence.

“In addition to her training and support work, Natalie has led on important safety initiatives, including auditing fluid warmers across theatre areas. She monitored equipment functionality and collated data to support the escalation of risk and inform next steps, helping to ensure a safe environment for both patients and staff.

“Natalie is a valued member of a fantastic team who consistently goes above and beyond to support colleagues, and she truly deserves this recognition.”

Natalie was presented with her certificate by Dr Simon Constable, chief executive.

Dr Constable said: “Natalie’s dedication to supporting colleagues, improving safety and enhancing wellbeing is truly outstanding. She is a fantastic example of the difference our staff make every day.”