International Nurses Day 2025: Zoe’s story of four decades of nursing through change and commitment
Zoe’s nursing journey began in 1985, capturing the essence of hands-on training, wide-ranging clinical experience, and the profession’s shift toward more holistic, patient-centred care. Through her reflections, particularly during COVID-19, she highlights the enduring importance of community healthcare.
“In 1985, I began my training at Guy’s Hospital (commonly known as Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust). Back then, hospitals had their own schools of nursing, and we were called State Registered Nurses (SRNs). We lived in nurses’ homes, worked on the wards from day one, and spent 12-week placements followed by two-week theory blocks—what we called ‘in block’."
Each hospital had its own uniform; Zoe’s included a lilac-and-white striped dress, starched linen hat with eight pleats (one for each virtue and one for being a Guy’s nurse), and a woollen cape. Students rotated through all specialties—adult, paediatrics, midwifery, psychiatry, community, and health visiting—providing a strong general foundation.
“After three years, we sat our hospital and state finals. Then we spent six months each on medical and surgical wards to consolidate. That broad experience allowed me to work in a variety of settings—renal, paediatrics, ICU, ophthalmology, cardiology, and more. Sadly, today’s nurses often specialise too early and miss that breadth”, she said.
Zoe cherished her time at Guy’s and the camaraderie it offered: social clubs, a bar, discos, and sports teams.
“The hospital felt like a family. At just 18, dealing with life and death, the pastoral support from tutors and the Nurses’ Social Secretary was vital.”
Her early years also marked a transitional period in nursing. The shift from task-based routines to patient-focused care was just beginning. She recalls learning about the ineffectiveness of Sorbo rings for pressure sores and hiding them rather than confronting a traditionalist ward sister.
“Some Sisters were like caricatures of old matrons. You never dared show up with unpolished shoes. We were taught the latest research ‘in block’ and expected to apply it, often facing resistance. Back then, everything was manual—from blood pressure readings to central venous pressure measured with spirit levels. Injection practice was done on oranges, and nasogastric tubes on each other. Venepuncture, cannulation, and prescribing were outside the nursing scope.”
In the late '80s, Zoe witnessed the limitations of industrial action in the UK as Australian nurses secured a pay deal after a three-minute strike, while UK colleagues weren’t permitted to strike. “Safe staffing” assessments often revealed we were already understaffed—some things haven’t changed.
The 1990s saw major structural changes. Project 2000 moved nurse education into universities, ending state registration and the Enrolled Nurse role. Zoe saw parallels with today’s Nursing Associates.
“The NHS has constantly evolved under shifting political priorities—from GP fundholding to NICE, from star ratings to foundation trusts. Every government brings a new ‘improvement’, but health promotion and screening were on white papers even in 1987”, Zoe notes.
Each decade also brought new health crises: HIV/AIDS in the ’80s, CJD in the ’90s, swine flu in the 2000s. Zoe expected COVID-19 to follow a similar pattern—but it didn’t.
“I returned to ICU during Covid after eight years away. It was intense. Redeploying community heart failure nurses led to hospital admissions that could have been prevented. It reinforced that prevention and care close to home must be prioritised—not just hospital waiting times.”
Since 2019, Zoe has worked as an Advanced Clinical Practitioner and Clinical Lead for Community Cardiology in Hertfordshire, joining CLCH when it took over the service from Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust. Her cardiology interest began in ICU, where she took Level seven modules and served as a cardiac device and balloon pump liaison.
Despite the evolution of nursing, one thing has remained the same: the dedication of those in the profession.
“Nurses step in when others step back. It’s the extra, unpaid hours that keep the NHS running. I’m proud to be a nurse, especially when I heard my daughter say in the playground, ‘Yeah, but my mum saves lives’."
Photo: 1985, Zoe sitting down 4th from the left at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
