07 May 2018
Bristol nurse to be lady with the lamp for a day at prestigious service
A Bristol nurse will be the lady with the lamp for a day at a
service at Westminster Abbey to celebrate nursing, midwifery and
the life of Florence Nightingale.
Joanna Poole, deputy head of nursing for surgery at University
Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, will be the lamp carrier at
the Florence Nightingale Commemoration Service on Wednesday (9
May 2018).
It is a prestigious role for Joanna as the lamp is the
international symbol of nursing in memory of Florence Nightingale
who became known as 'The Lady with the Lamp' during her work in the
Crimea, where she conducted her night rounds caring for wounded
soldiers while holding a lantern.
Joanna, who qualified as a nurse 20 years ago, was chosen to
carry the lamp after completing the Florence Nightingale Foundation
emerging leaders scholarship.
She said: "I feel incredibly privileged to be given the honour
of carrying the lamp. It's something that will stay with me for the
rest of my life."
Joanna will be escorted by student nurses and midwives from the
University of Plymouth. When she arrives at the High Altar in
Westminster Abbey, Joanna will hand the lamp to Florence
Nightingale Foundation Scholar Valentine Chiguvare. He will
pass the Lamp to fellow foundation scholar Wendy Webb. This
represents the transmission of knowledge from one nurse to another
and highlights the diversity of care given by nurses for the
benefit of humanity.
Joanna said the scholarship she completed in December with the
foundation led to the opportunity.
"The whole scholarship journey was life changing from a
professional and personal point of view and has given me
opportunities like this," she said.
"It completely changed how I think and how I feel about being a
nurse and gave me lots of clarity about how I would like my career
to develop.
"Being invited to attend the commemoration service and to
carry the lamp is an incredible honour."
Joanna, 39, will be joined at the service by her husband Richard
with whom she has three children, Isabella, 3; Charlotte, 8 and
Olivia, 10.
Colleagues from UH Bristol including Carolyn Mills, chief nurse;
Jamie Cargill, Teenage Cancer Trust nurse consultant and fellow
foundation scholarship programme graduate; and matron Hayley Long
will also be attending the service.
After qualifying as a nurse, much of Joanna's career has been in
cancer services. She worked at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS
Trust for three years after qualifying, before moving to University
College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for eight years.
Joanna returned to Nottingham as regional lead nurse for
teenagers and young adults with cancer before joining UH Bristol in
January.
Find out more information about the Florence Nightingale
Foundation here.
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