Nurse consultants Dawn and Karen reach ‘ultimate goal’ together |
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Left to right: Karen Goodwin, Nurse Consultant for Colorectal Disease, and Dawn Chapman, Nurse Consultant for Breast Disease Since Dawn Chapman and Karen Goodwin started working together at Addenbrooke’s in the 1970s, their careers – and friendship – have blossomed. Now they are celebrating a double achievement – they have both been appointed nurse consultants in their respective fields, an accolade they describe as ‘the ultimate goal’. “We’ve been working colleagues and seen many changes in nursing over the years, so there’s something special about achieving our new roles at the same time,” says Dawn. Both trained as nurses at Addenbrooke’s, and specialised in surgery, even job-sharing at one time. In recent years, Dawn worked as a nurse practitioner in breast disease, while Karen had a similar role in colorectal disease. After the hospital made a case for their new roles, and Dawn and Karen underwent a rigorous interview process, they were appointed as nurse consultants, a role Karen describes as: “Something I’ve always aspired to.” Their new roles are a natural progression, as in their capacity as nurse practitioners Dawn and Karen were already working more autonomously, leading clinics, seeing newly-referred patients and co-ordinating patients’ care from the beginning to the end of their journey. Karen describes the benefits of their roles: “We get continuity with patients and so do they. They are so pleased if they see the same person every time they come to clinic, and if I’m not there they ask where I am! Between us, we have a huge background in acute nursing, and have developed our skills over many years.” Dawn and Karen’s roles reach far and wide - both have management responsibility across the hospital as well as working nationally and with cancer networks. Dawn is also working with the Department of Health to look at ways of reducing waiting times for breast cancer patients. Karen says: “Although clinically not much will change, we will be expected to be more instrumental in driving nursing forward, not just in our specialties, but across the hospital. We will also be raising the profile of nursing nationally and looking at ways to implement new initiatives.” Dawn talks proudly of what they have achieved: “Our new titles
give us credibility and acknowledge the status we have achieved. For
me, it’s an ultimate goal and a last goal – I’ve achieved
what I’ve always wanted to.” Notes to editors The nurse consultants’ official titles are as follows: Dawn Chapman, Nurse Consultant for Breast Disease They join a team of two existing nurse consultants at Addenbrooke’s: a nurse consultant in critical care and a tracheotomy nurse consultant.
For further information, please contact Emma Oram, Press
Officer, Communications Department, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road,
Cambridge CB2 2QQ Tel: 01223 274433 Fax: 01223 257143 Email: emma.oram@addenbrookes.nhs.uk |
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