When Elaine Ratcliffe first walked through the doors of Queen Victoria Hospital in the 1970s to visit a friend who was a patient, little did she know that years later she’d be back and also be starting a family trend.
“I’d always wanted to be a nurse but when I was growing up women weren’t encouraged to have careers,” explains Elaine. “So at 14 I started serving tea in a nursing home and that’s when I truly realised I wanted to work with people. In 2011, years later and after a couple of different careers, my passion for wanting to make a difference was still there so when I was encouraged by a friend to apply for a role at Queen Victoria Hospital to become a healthcare assistant I thought I’d give it a go. Now I can’t see myself going anywhere else.”
Since then Elaine, who works in the hospital’s Canadian Wing with adult patients, has become a dementia champion for the hospital and is progressing her career by completing her level 3 in healthcare clinical support.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Elaine’s passion for making a difference has become infectious, and three years later daughter Emily joined the team at the hospital too.
“The amount of times I went to the minor injuries unit as a kid I was destined to work at Queen Victoria Hospital really,” laughs Emily. “I’d listen to mum talking about work so often and then one day I had a lightbulb moment and realised that’s where I needed to be too.”
Emily joined the hospital as a healthcare assistant, like her mum, but has also experienced life in Peanut, the children’s ward, as a ward clerk.
“For me there’s a real buzz working here,” continues Emily. “No two days are the same and the reward you get from caring for patients is incredible. Compassion and care is what Queen Victoria Hospital is really good at – it’s a unique place to work as we’re just like one big happy family. Staff help each other and everyone acknowledges each other. If you’re not sure of something one of the staff or a consultant will take the time to explain and that’s really important in your development as well as helping the patients.”
“I find that the staff and patients really take care of you which is important,” explains Elaine. “For me I’ve got a good work and home life balance and the staff here really make it; it’s a great place to work and I’m finally doing what I was destined to do.”
