“My motto is ‘communication, communication, communication’”: CF nurse Tes retires after 19 years in CF specialist services

Hi Tes! Can you please tell us a bit about yourself?

I started nursing when I was about 19. At some point, I ended up on a CF ward and it gripped me. I met some fantastic people there. Then a job in the specialist nursing team came up and I applied. I’ve been here ever since. I think that says a lot about people with CF.

I’ve moved up through the service; I started as a specialist nurse, then progressed to a more senior role. Because the service was getting bigger and bigger it was felt a service manager was needed with a background in CF. I commenced this role in 2014.

I’m married with three children who are all grown up, and going off in their own directions, so I felt that now is the right time to retire. My daughter has recently married so I want to get involved more with their lives; to be helpful if I can.

What inspired you to become a nurse?

My mum was a nurse. She was a district midwife. She chose to continue her career with a young family so my father was very involved in our care which was unusual at the time. He was the one who cooked the Christmas dinner because she was on call a lot of the time.

When I left college, I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I knew I could nurse. My father always said to me, “you’ll be a nurse”. I didn’t believe him at the time. I decided to train as a nurse when I left home. I felt comfortable with people, interested in people. Nursing is very natural to me and I’ve never stopped enjoying it.

What have you liked most about nursing?

The relationships you have with people either as patients or colleagues. I feel very privileged that people have trusted me during a scary time in their life. When your health is not what it should be, it’s so frightening. You need someone to guide you through. So for someone to trust me to do that, I think it’s a huge privilege.

Also the friendships I’ve gained over the years, working in a multidisciplinary team. It’s a lovely way to work, this whole set of people who are all trying to do the same thing.

What would you say has been the most challenging part of your career?

A nearby service closed and most people with CF came to us, which was a huge challenge. Not only because we had to change our service and push for more staff to enable those coming across to come, but also for the transferring people with CF. Suddenly that team wasn’t there. The challenge for us was making sure everybody felt comfortable when coming along to their first appointment.  It’s all about the experience of people with CF and giving them confidence.

COVID-19 has been another huge challenge. More than half of the staff were sent to work on COVID wards. It was hard for them, but they just put the PPE on and off they went. I was so proud. I was proud of the people with CF too, who just took on board what they needed to do and did it. Everyone did so well, even though it wasn’t easy. Really touchingly the people with CF worried about the staff as much as we worried about them.

What advice would you give to people starting a career in nursing?

Listen to what everybody’s telling you, take every piece of advice and ask questions. If you don’t understand something, ask questions. Get to work on time. Always be kind, listen, and never use your experiences in life to judge someone else’s. And I think communication is key. Communication, communication, communication.

What would you say is the best memory of your career?

When the new drugs, the modulators, came out. Seeing Kaftrio have an effect on a patient – the change was just mind-blowing. I thought I would retire before seeing that, so I’m so grateful I got that opportunity. Seeing someone who has had a transplant being so well afterwards. It’s just fantastic to see these improvements in people and hearing what they’re doing in their lives.

What are your plans for the future?

We’re planning to move out of the city and be sustainable as we can, somewhere where we can listen to the birds and watch our cucumbers grow. I’ve always been busy, so it’s time for a break. And I’d like to do some volunteering – after a couple of months' break!

“Tes has been a constant in my life” says Jade, who has CF and attends the CF centre in Southampton

“Tes has been working with CF patients for more than 20 years and is like no other nurse I have ever met. In 2004, when I was just 15 years old, I was transferred from Southampton paediatric CF services across to adults. Since this time, Tes has been a constant in my life and has always ensured that I feel safe under her care. Tes was the first person I met in adult services and has always been like a second mum to me. Her reassurance and warm bedside manner meant that at such a young age I managed to overcome my fear of needles. Tes took the time to listen to my fear and helped me overcome it. She always puts the patient first; whilst ensuring the right treatment is received. She knows us all both as patients but also as people. Her retirement is well deserved, but will be a huge loss to the Southampton CF service and to the NHS.”

- Jade*, who has CF

We’d like to wish Tes a huge congratulations on her retirement and the very best for the future from the whole CF community.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic condition which causes sticky mucus to build up in the lungs and digestive system. It affects more than 10,800 people in the UK. One in 25 of us carries the faulty gene that causes it, usually without knowing.

Since 1964, we've supported people with cystic fibrosis to live longer, healthier lives - and we won’t stop until everyone can live without limits imposed by CF.