Our UHDB nursing heroes tell us why their profession is so special to them
The whole world has been paying tribute to all of the phenomenal nurses working in this country and beyond as part of International Nurses Day today.
This year's celebration of our nurses is particularly fitting, what with 2020 representing the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife and our NHS playing such a prominent role in the fight against Covid-19.
Today also marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, with Krishna Kallianpur, our Interim Chief Nurse, insisting that the nursing pioneer would've been "extremely proud" of the way our nurses and NHS as a whole have responded to the pandemic.
She said: "The leadership the nurses have shown has been fantastic. The essence of this has been the care, compassion and, above all, the courage shown by our staff. I’m incredibly proud of the way our nurses have stepped up to the challenge."
You can listen back to Krishna's appearance on BBC Radio Derby this morning here.
As part of the International Day of the Nurse celebrations, we've reached out to several of our nurses to ask them what the role means to them.
Mandeep Lally, sister on Ward 409 at Royal Derby Hospital, chose to be a nurse after previously pursuing a career in Law.
She said: "It is such a rewarding job and I will never regret this career. I’m so proud of my colleagues. We have adapted so well in this challenging time and continue to do so every day. I still go to work with a smile on my face."
Nurse Aron Fudger, who works in Queen's Hospital Burton's A&E, said: "Working in the emergency department is not for everybody, but we've become such a family, which helps us get through this.
"This is the most rewarding job that anyone can ever do but (the public's support) gives us a little boost when it gets tough."
Emma Kershaw usually works at Sir Robert Peel Community Hospital but is currently rotating to help at Queen's Hospital's Burton's A&E, after qualifying as a nurse later in life - something she views as the "best thing I ever did".
She added: "I absolutely love being a nurse. My team are not just colleagues; we're friends and, if we're upset or need to talk about something, we look after each other. But the good is so rewarding that it outweighs the bad days."
Another to go into nursing late was Mel McDonagh, sister on Ward 216 at Royal Derby Hospital, who studied for her degree to help inspire her four children - some of whom have amazingly now chosen to follow her career path.
She said: "My children love seeing how happy I am at work. I love my job and that makes them happy. I want to say to each and every member of staff that you're all absolutely amazing, to keep smiling and to keep talking to each other - we will get through this."
Mel spoke to BBC Radio Derby earlier today as part of the International Nurses Day celebrations.