The Art of Nursing

The Art of Nursing: Laura’s Journey

Every nurse’s journey is unique. Read about Laura’s to discover how our nurses here at Jane Lewis found their way into healthcare.

Blog post image for Laura's nursing journey

I’ve always known that nursing was what I wanted to do.

At 18, I started my training at Edge Hill University and began a journey that’s shaped every part of who I am today. My placements were incredibly varied – surgical theatres, diabetic and endocrine clinics, fracture clinic, intermediate care units, and even out in the community. My final placement was on the ENT ward at Aintree Hospital, where I saw the complexity and compassion involved in specialist care.

When I qualified, I stepped into my first registered nursing role on an 8-bedded infection control ward. It was intense – but I loved it.

Every shift was a learning opportunity. I soon moved to a respiratory ward where I gained in-depth experience managing patients with complex respiratory needs, including type 2 respiratory failure.

I learned to do chest drain flushes, manage non-invasive ventilation, take blood gases, and carry out a range of clinical procedures. Over time, I progressed to Deputy Ward Manager and eventually Band 6.

After five years on the ward, I wanted to broaden my scope and make a bigger impact on people’s lives across different settings. I moved into the community as a Deputy Manager of a care home – supporting nursing, residential, and EMI residents, as well as intermediate care patients. I worked closely with GPs, therapists, and wider teams to give people the best possible care outside of hospital.

In time, I stepped into full home management. As the Registered Manager at Grove House and later at Kingswood Manor, I led teams through audits, CQC inspections, recruitment, training, and everything in between. At both homes, I’m proud to say we improved our CQC ratings to “Good” and reached full occupancy. But even in management, I’ve always stayed rooted in my values as a nurse – compassion, leadership, and creating supportive environments where staff and residents feel safe, respected, and empowered.

Joining Jane Lewis was a deliberate decision. I wanted to get back to hands-on care and experience different clinical environments again. I didn’t want to lose touch with my core identity – because before I’m a manager, I’m a nurse.