In the week in which the world celebrated International Nurses Day, a Cumbrian district nurse has spoken out about the challenges she and her colleagues have faced over the past year.

Clare Martindale has worked in Cumbria since 2010 and is now a district nursing team leader in Eden Integrated Care Community.

She said that whatever challenges nurses faced, the driving force was to always be “caring, compassionate and courageous”.

“Nursing is a lifelong process," she said. "You need to be committed to learning to ensure you can drive forward standards and be up to date, implement changes and ensure you maintain competency as a nurse.

“You need to be able to balance the emotional connection of a patient’s situation with the professional position which a nursing title brings, displaying empathy during all times.

Claire said being a district nurse team leader throughout the pandemic had been an opportunity to cultivate hope for the patients and staff she managed, while fostering a supportive team approach to nursing care delivery.

"The pandemic was a catalyst for change in our nursing team," she said. "We moved office space, we suddenly found ourselves wearing extra PPE, getting FIT tested, working agile and looking Covid-19 in the eye each day.

"I could mention it’s been tiring, anxiety provoking and an intense 12 months. However, in positively embracing the qualities of the nursing profession and being able to work in a collaborative and ambitious approach to care, it’s also been an extraordinary time to lead on change and deliver care to those patients in Eden.”

Clare believed International Nurses Day was a great way to celebrate the diverse role of nurses.

She said: “Sharing my story of becoming a district nurse is a privilege and one I’m very proud of. I have always been a champion for my team, working hard to ensure team spirit and team work is central to the care we deliver. I am so proud of the nurses I work alongside and what we have collectively achieved.

“So I want to take this opportunity to say I’m humbled and grateful to work with an amazing and awesome team of nurses. You all play a vital role. Thank you!”