A leap year time to refresh

 I’m writing now after a period of finding it difficult to keep up the blog following mum’s death in late 2022. I have found myself wondering where time has gone as two Christmas times have gone by since then. Now is a time to try again, in doing so I want to update you with news of change.

I am getting closer to relinquishing my registration as a nurse. It was approximately 46 years ago I eventually decided working in shops, offices, and potentially being an accountant were not for me. I’d already thought about nursing and delayed starting training by about a year. The pressure to go to night school to take up accountancy from my BBC boss led me to re-apply for nurse training.

Now I have given up direct nursing and managerial roles I plan to retire from my paid role in the health sector. The recent opportunities to make a difference have come in a variety of ways. I’ve seen a young, committed person develop into a nurse enjoying working in palliative care. Not the first I’ve seen; they have worked so hard on the long route to registration giving me hope for nursing’s future. I’ve seen services develop around @AnneRobsonTrust Butterfly volunteers being with the dying in our Acute trust. I’d started negotiations over this before the pandemic. So glad it’s come to fruition. My time as a Freedom to Speak Up Guardian @NatGuardianFTSU has also been one of developing the space in which people can come forward to tell their stories, as well as influence the Trust to invest further in the role in the coming year. It has been a valuable time personally too.

So, come the end of March 2024 I will no longer be a Registered Nurse. It feels the time is right to let go and step back. I want to use my energy in other ways though not all clearly defined yet. One change will be the end of @PhilBallRN on X (Twitter) as I’ll keep up with @philipraball where I can still comment and share without misleading anyone. Feel free to switch by the end of March or stop following as you wish. My other social media channels are not likely to alter if you follow them.

Thank you to followers of @PhilBallRN – there have been chats and sharing of some awesome experiences. It’s been a place where friendships have been forged, mainly through @WeNurses and associated communities. Whilst being a retired nurse sounds old, I don’t feel that way, and I’d like you to feel free to keep in touch as I want to keep learning, laughing, and loving what I do. And it will help me with fresh blog ideas too.