International Nurses Day: Q&A with Senior Nurse, Cornella
How did you find out about MHA?
I originally got the job while I was in Romania. I wanted to come over to the UK and I found the job advertisement for Care Assistant online on Indeed. I applied for the role and was lucky enough to get an Interview via Zoom. Once I was offered the position I came over and stayed working as a Care Assistant for 6 and half years. During this time, I studied to become a Nurse in the UK. We then had a vacancy for Registered Nurse at Herondale and Kingfisher and I applied internally and later on was offered the role. I then progressed to become a Senior Nurse, which I have now been doing for 3 years.
What made you choose MHA?
When I was looking for work in the UK, I wanted to make sure I chose the right company, as it can be scary moving your life overseas and I wanted to make sure I was going to work in a lovely place that would make me feel comfortable. I also wanted a new challenge within my career. I came across MHA advertisement and started to read the reviews about the company, which were all very positive. Also when reading about what MHA does I believe it would give me the challenge that I was looking for, so I decided to apply.
What do you love most about Nursing?
I enjoy connecting with colleagues and the residents. Even though I am far away from my family, I feel like I have one here at Herondale and Kingfisher. I have had the chance to build relationships with the residents, which you don’t get to have when working in hospitals, I now feel like I have multiple grandparents working with the residents.
What do you love most about working with MHA?
We have a great team here. The colleagues are lovely, and the management are very supportive. If you feel like you have any problems, you feel like you can approach them and they will help resolve any issues that you have. I feel like my voice is heard in this company and very valued.
What would you say to someone who was thinking about coming to the UK and working with MHA?
I would encourage them to come, it’s a great opportunity that they wouldn’t regret. MHA helped a lot while I was moving over here. They helped me find accommodation and made it very easy for me to settle down in my new life in the UK. I would recommend anyone to try it at least once in their life.
How did you find the process of becoming a Nurse in the UK?
It wasn’t as simple as I originally thought. I had to wait a while to prepare all my documentation and to chase my NMC pin. It took approximately about 6 to 7 months for me to become a Registered Nurse. Though I know when I arrived it was a new process that MHA brought forward, now I know it’s a simpler and faster process for overseas employees to become a Registered Nurse.
What do you look forward to when you begin work each day?
I look forward to doing my job, I really enjoy being a Nurse at Herondale and Kingfisher. I look forward to seeing the residents and chatting to them daily; knowing I am helping my residents be OK and stable.
What would/could make your job more satisfying?
Sometimes we struggle with staffing levels, as people can call in sick from time to time which can make the tasks harder to finish, but somehow, we manage. At the moment, the staff levels are stable, and having the Philippine Nurses come in have massively helped with work.
What has it been like working at Herondale and Kingfisher care home?
They are a really good, supportive team. As I said before, management are very supportive and will always have time to listen and speak to you. We have an open-door policy here, which I really like.
How were you supported by existing MHA staff when you started?
Very welcoming, they taught me everything and would always make time to help me with something that I was unsure about. Coming from a different culture I felt that this was very important and without them, I don’t think I would be as good of a nurse as I am today. The training and induction I received were very informative, which helped ease me into the role and a new environment. I felt that becoming a Care Assistant first really helped me get a better understanding of the care home and how things are run. Again, the management were excellent with me and supported me through my whole training.
