May sees International Nurses’ Day. At Elysium, we are incredibly proud of our nursing team and decided to take the opportunity to hear the thoughts, stories and journeys of as many of Elysium’s nursing colleagues as possible. Today, we speak with Trevor Irwin, currently the Operations Director for Neurological Services across Elysium. Responsible for 11 services across the division, from Middlesbrough to Chigwell, Trevor tells us how and why he became a nurse, his journey nursing in neurological services, and why neurological rehabilitation has been an enduring passion.
Why did you become a nurse?
I did voluntary work when I was young in an old people’s home. That was my first experience of working in a care setting. My older sister trained to be a general nurse, so when I was at the age of looking for a job, she recommended a mental health setting where she had done a placement. My Dad was a policeman – we lived in Belfast – and I knew I didn’t want to do that! And so I applied, and I was successful.
What I didn’t know was that the hospital had a very good football team, and I had put that I played a lot of football on my CV. I’m not saying that played a part in my getting the role!
Where did you do your training, and what did that look like?
I was trained at the School of Nursing at Purdysburn Hospital in Belfast, one of the big institutional campus-type settings. This was 1987. I really enjoyed it, it was a very good experience. This was before the Project 2000 training, so it was a case of attending the school of nursing for six weeks and then having three to six months on the wards. There was much more practical experience.
It was a changing time. This was one of the old asylums, so some people had been in the hospital their whole lives for no real reason, and no real mental health illness in some cases. The ‘villas’ were being closed down and Care in the Community was rolling out.
What did you do after you qualified?
I came straight over to England and worked in Northampton. I turned up at the main reception, reported for duty, and was sent to a brain injury service to work there as a newly qualified nurse. I was there for nine years. Brain injury is a very special area to work in. It can happen to anyone going about their day-to-day lives. It impacts them and everyone around them.
Why do you feel so passionately about nursing in neurological services?
With the right rehab, we can get people back to a fulfilling life. And also, within brain injury, because it affects the whole body, we work in large transdisciplinary teams. There’s a lot of blurring of roles because there’s a lot of crossover. For example, helping a person to learn to walk and stand again. The whole team gets involved in supporting individuals relearning skills and abilities, and is promoted through normal daily activities, making it more practical for the Service User. Everyone has a role in helping them achieve that.
What other roles have you held throughout your journey?
I began as a Junior Staff Nurse and left my first hospital in England as a Ward Manager. I’ve gone through all the different positions. I briefly worked in the NHS as a Unit Manager in Acute Mental Health Admissions, as a brain injury case manager working in the community, and also in CAMHS as a Hospital Director and Regional Lead. I’ve worked in services with 112 beds, and those with 17. I’ve been working at Elysium Neurological Regional since it started, originally as Regional Director, and for the last 5 years as the Operations Director.
What do you most enjoy?
I miss direct contact with patients, but when visiting sites it’s great to engage with the different people I see there. I’ve maintained my PIN, and during COVID I did clinical shifts at Stanley House.
I find nursing in neurological services very rewarding in terms of rehabilitation. Some people make tremendous recoveries, and some people can make very small steps that still mean big changes for their lives. Sometimes, people forget that the quality of a person’s life can be changed by the fact that they can pick up a cup and drink themselves, or pick up a spoon and feed themselves.
Nursing is about supporting the people we care for with whatever needs they may have, and helping their day and life be the best it can be.
Has Trevor’s story piqued your interest in a nursing job with Elysium Healthcare? Check out our current vacancies. You can also find out more about Elysium Neurological services here.