As nursing has developed during the 21^st Century, education and training has evolved to enable them to deliver the high-level care we have now come to expect. To keep up with these changes requires dedication and time, as well as holding down a demanding job and looking after a family.

What our nurses cope with never ceases to amaze the rest of the staff at St. Rocco’s, and from feedback we know that you feel the same as well. So, when we heard recently that one of our long-serving care staff is soon to become one of the first Registered Nurse Associates in the country, we took the opportunity to grab a few minutes of her busy day to find out more.

Integrated care services

Bev Cornes has been at St. Rocco’s for nearly 20 years. Starting off as an HCA working 4-hour shifts, she explained, “I love working in palliative care and decided early on I wanted to do more to help the great team they have here. So, I decided to go back into education and get my Maths and English GCSE that would allow me to progress within nursing.”

Once Bev had achieved this, she then set her sights on her next goal, obtaining the new Registered Nurse Associate qualification. Sponsored by St. Rocco’s, she set of on this path in Jan 2020, and even had our now CEO, Sonya, as one of her lecturers. “The course was a mixture of lectures, assignments and assessments,” Bev explained. “But the things I enjoyed the most were the 6-week placements we did every year. I got the chance to work in mental health, disability, child and adult nursing and the experience was great. It made me more aware of what other services there are available to help people and how care is being more tightly integrated. This can only benefit the help I can provide to our patients here.”

Registered Nurse Associate

In Jan 2022, Bev will become one of the first Registered Nurse Associates in the UK, a proud moment for both her and St. Rocco’s. “I am really looking forward to being able to look after my own set of patients and bring all the skills I have learned to helping them,” Bev concluded. “I have been helped by a very supportive team here who have helped mentor me through this challenging but very rewarding time and I am proud to be part of St. Rocco’s and the care we provide to the Warrington community.”