HOHC: Janette Griffiths, A&E Sister

Janette Griffiths – A&E Sister, St Helier

“Nursing ran in my family, and I knew it was what I wanted to do from a young age. I wanted to make an instant difference, and in nursing you know that every day you make a difference to someone’s life.

“After I started training in 1978, I did a stint in A&E and knew it was where I wanted to be. In those days you couldn’t begin your career in A&E, so I worked in Orthopaedics and on ICU beforehand. When I started, I thought I’d be at St Helier for six months but 35 years later I’m still here! However, I’m hanging up the uniform for good this weekend.

“I love A&E; you meet so many different people and are constantly challenged as you’re right in the thick of things. As has every healthcare professional, I’ve seen some sad things during my career and there’s plenty that stays with me, but what matters most is that you do the best you can for your patients.

“In A&E you only see patients for a short amount of time, and it’s easy to forget the impact you can have. A few years ago, the family of a patient who sadly died contacted me to thank me for the compassion I’d shown to them. They told me I’d really made a difference in their time of need, and they were grateful for the care I’d shown them all. It’s wonderful to be able to care not only for our patients, but their families too.

“To work in A&E you need resilience. You need to be kind, and you need compassion. You have to be able to put yourself in your patient’s shoes and understand that their worry stems from uncertainty. You need to empathise, and ultimately you need to fight their corner.

“ESTH has always felt familial. In times of crisis our colleagues pull together, are caring, and look out for one another. Everyone is approachable; our Chief Executive Daniel Elkeles was my Service Manager years ago, and it’s lovely that he knows staff by name, regardless of their position within the Trust. Together, we strive to do the best we can do to beat the challenges we face on a daily basis.

“My time here has gone in a flash, from just 23 to now at 61 my life has been characterised by the A&E department at St Helier, and it’s been a very good time.”

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