“After around a week on the ward I thought, ‘I think I can do this’!”

Debbie Wright is a Clinical Lead in the Crisis and Intervention Team for Older People (CITOP). Now with an incredible nearly 42 years’ experience working for our Trust she told us the story of how she became a nurse.

“Honestly, I originally wanted to be a secretary and went to college to do shorthand typing, but a friend of mine was going to do nursing and she said why don’t you apply. At that time, in 1980, they were very short of nurses so I went to sit the test and before I knew it - I was in the training school in 1981.

Being a nurse was not something I had thought about, and thought it wouldn’t be my long-term career, as I wanted to be a typist and did shorthand.  I began nurse training (where the Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust’s Learning Centre is now) in November 1981. After 6 weeks in the nursing school, I went on my first placement working on a male ward at De La Pole. My initial reaction was one of fright and I was unsure if this was for me, I was only 18 years old after all.  Locked doors and working with these big men who would rush around me, and I felt very threatened. However, after around a week on the ward I thought, ‘I think I can do this’.

I went on to complete my training as a State Enrolled Nurse and went to work on a female ward. I loved working with this patient group, even taking them on holiday to South Shore Holiday Camp for a week.  It was hard work, but I was around 20 then and what a responsibility. I wasn’t always a confident person about my abilities, however, becoming a qualified nurse gave me a new found confidence and I loved working with the older adult group.  I loved to hear about their lives and think they can give so much to our society, and they have been through so much adversity.

I then completed my conversion course in around 1995, due to the phasing out State Enrolled Nurses. However, again, this gave me so much more opportunity and when I qualified I got a job as a community nurse. I was working in Bransholme again and with older people, and I loved this I ran a carers group and developed services in the community. 

I have worked in the community for around 22 years now in Community Mental Health Services, and latterly worked 15 years in the Crisis Team, always working with older people. Again, I feel honoured to be able to help some of our older people with mental health problems. I respect the lives some of them have led, and the affect it has had on their mental health.

I went on to complete my Degree 13 years ago, aged 50, and I feel that Humber has given me so much more opportunity that I certainly wouldn’t have had working as a shorthand typist! Though my typing skills have come in useful.

I semi-retired in 2018 and have now returned to work for 2 days per week. I initially came back and worked on the Older Peoples Ward, then I went into the Training Department as a Clinical Trainer.  I have also administered the vaccinations for Humber Trust’s Flu and Covid.  So, you can see, as a Mental Health Nurse I have had a varied career and this I must say is thanks to Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust for supporting me in these directions.

I have now gone back to the Crisis Team, as I feel that this is where I belong. I enjoy the unpredictable work and working at a fast pace. Again, this is with older people and I have seen the team develop over the years and it has continued to improve and offer our older people a great service.  I am now coming up to 42 years in the Trust and have seen many changes - some not so good, and some that are very good but change is always good as it keeps us motivated and I hope that I continue to offer a good service.”