NEWCASTLE NURSE Jane Wren is celebrating her 51st working year at the Royal Victoria Infirmary just days before a very special birthday.
Jane, who works in the Women’s Health Unit, will be 75 on the 11th of October and shows no signs of stepping down from her inspiring nursing career spanning five decades.
“Jane is the absolute epitome of what nursing in Newcastle is all about – she is kind and caring, and a staunch advocate for women’s health, putting her patients at the heart of everything she does,” said Executive Chief Nurse Maurya Cushlow.
“Her passion and commitment throughout her illustrious nursing career is clear for all to see and I’m delighted that she wishes to stay with us, inspiring even more of our nursing family.”
Following nurse training in Bristol, Jane moved to Newcastle where she began her half a century career specialising in gynaecology.
Having moved up the ranks to senior sister on the ‘Gynae ward’ in the Old Victoria Wing, further promotion beckoned and Jane became a Nursing Officer.
It was in this role that she established Newcastle’s original Early Pregnancy Assessment Clinic (EPAC), setting up nurse-led ante-natal scanning, and she supported scores of nursing colleagues to learn the art of scanning over the years. This clinic is now completely managed by nurses – a testament to Jane’s pioneering spirit.
Semi-retiring in 2006, Jane continued to work part time in EPAC and the gynaecology ward 40 before moving to the Women’s Health Unit where she has cared for countless women over the last eight years.
“Jane has been a role model to me since she interviewed and employed me as a newly qualified staff nurse in 1989,” says Jilly Goodfellow, a nurse practitioner and senior sister in the Women’s Health Unit.
“I admire Jane so much, she has the most wonderful sense of humour. She cycles to work every day and gives 100% in all she does. I am in awe of her dedication to the nursing profession.”
Jane says she “feels honoured” and that working in the NHS has been her life, and the team is like her family.
Congratulations Jane!
