Critical Care Sister Lucy Coombs from Kent and Canterbury Hospital has won a Cavell Star award for going above and beyond for her patients.
Colleague and Critical Care Matron Luke Strong explains why Lucy is such a deserving winner,
“Lucy consistently goes above and beyond her expected duties, and her impact reaches every corner of our unit. She has been instrumental in organising and delivering multiple fundraising events – bake sales, sponsored walks, quizzes – directly contributed to meaningful improvements to the unit.
“Lucy is also deeply committed to our “3 Wishes” project, going above and beyond to create special moments and keepsakes for patients’ families at the end of their loved one’s life. Most recently arranging a deeply moving surprise video messages from a Formula 1 driver for a critically ill motorsport fan who sadly passed. Beyond these initiatives, Lucy’s everyday approach is just as inspiring. She is always ready to offer support, encouragement and a listening ear to colleagues, often noticing when someone is struggling before they even say so. Her generosity of spirit and dedication to others help make our unit a truly caring and connected place to work.
“In everything she does, whether it’s large-scale fundraising or making sure a small detail isn’t overlooked, Lucy shows unwavering commitment to improving the lives of patients, relatives, and staff. Her compassion, creativity and willingness to go the extra mile make her an exceptional member of the team and someone who embodies the very best of what we do.”
Lucy reacted to winning her Cavell Star Award.
“It was such a surprise! I felt overwhelmed to have been nominated and genuinely honoured and humbled to be awarded the Cavell Star.
“Being a Sister in the ITU is such a varied and challenging role. I love how one-to-one care gives a great balance of providing simple basic care really well, along with the more complex aspects of nursing the critically ill person. The last four years I have enjoyed the challenge of leading the team on shift and have found it so rewarding offering support to colleagues who are caring for the patients.
“I have been part of our ITU team since 2002 and it remains a fantastic team to be part of. Team-working is a vital and central part to how we function. We support each other throughout the shift and get through extremely challenging situations together. They are the reason I would not want to work anywhere else!”
