Liz has taken up her role in our Research Nurse Network at The Southmead Hospital, North Bristol NHS Trust. You can read more about Liz's work in the section below.
How would you describe your role to someone you’ve just met?
As research nurse for the Bristol MND Care Centre, my role is to work alongside the clinical team providing care and support to people living with MND to make access to clinical trials and other research studies available to them.
The aim is for people to have the opportunity to take part in MND research if they would like to, and for this to be relevant, equitable and accessible for individuals.
As research nurses we also make links with researchers, as part of a network, which means that we can be aware of new research findings and feed these back to our clinical teams, so that they can inform how MND care and support is offered.
What does your typical working day look like?
This is a very new role for me, so I am still finding this out. I think though that there will be lots of variety in the role and that it is likely to be different day-to-day. My working day will include lots of engagement with people living with MND and their families, whether in clinic, other care settings or at home. Also, contact with different MND services, researchers and research networks.
What made you want to become a nurse?
I trained as a nurse a little later - when I was 25. Put simply, I wanted to do a job that was useful. After working as a care assistant, I realised that a caring role was for me. I enjoy working with people.
What attracted you to your current role?
My background is as a mental health nurse. After 18 years in clinical practice, I wanted to use the knowledge and skills I had been able to develop in a new area of practice. I was interested in research nursing as it is a way for us to develop and improve care – and to empower people living with conditions to be involved with this. I think it is a very exciting time to be involved with MND research, with the MND Association launch of the research nurse network.
Who has had the biggest impact on your career? And What do you enjoy most about your role?
I put these questions together because the answer is the same - the people I have worked with, individuals and their families. It is quite difficult to put into words what I most enjoy about my job as a nurse. It is little moments, when someone has been able to achieve a goal or make a connection that is meaningful for them.
What’s been the stand-out moment in your career so far?
I’m not sure I can pick one stand-out moment, although moving into this role is definitely one. I feel very privileged to be a research nurse for people living with MND. I hope that there will be many stand-out moments in this role over the next few years.
What are your ambitions for the future?
For now, to get to know the Bristol MND Care Centre better, to understand what the opportunities and priorities are, and for us to open up some studies for people to participate in here in the Bristol area. Hopefully over time we will see some positive outcomes from the studies.
What advice would you give to someone who wanted a job like yours?
I would say to someone wanting to move to research: make links, contact local people already working in research (I have found that people are often very helpful, as part of being passionate about research). There are lots of useful resources online to get started with, particularly the NIHR (National Institute for Health and Care Research) website. It helps to be proactive - don’t give up!