The Managing Director of Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is urging more people to consider nursing as a profession.
Rob Cooper started his NHS career as a nurse and says the skills he has learned from the job have played a huge role in his development.
Ahead of this Sunday’s annual International Nurses Day, Rob is hoping his story inspires more people to enter the profession.
Rob, who comes from a family of nurses, started his career after studying at Liverpool University on a vascular ward before gaining further experience in A and E and Critical Care.
He firmly believes nurses make a “massive difference to people’s lives.’’
He said: “My parents were both nurses, as are my wife, my brother and sister-in-law. Seeing the impact my parents had on the lives of others, the thanks they received from patients and colleagues and the pleasure they got from their jobs, inspired me greatly and demonstrated what a rewarding career it could be.
“Your impact is not only felt by the patients you care for, but their families and loved ones too,
“I still have a thank you letter from my very first job, that was written by a patient’s daughter, who expressed her gratitude for helping her father to die at home, which was his final wish. Those moments are special and help you realise the difference you are making to people and the lasting impact you have on their lives.”
“I am in an operational role now but my experience as a nurse has been, and continues to be crucial to my career, enabling me to make decisions that focus on delivering the best possible care for our patients whilst supporting our staff”
International Nurses Day is held on May 12 every year on the anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birth and marks the contribution nurses make to society.
There are a variety of different roles that nurses can undertake including working in hospitals and community settings and undertaking valuable research work.
For more information on a career in nursing visit NHS Health Careers.