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International Nurses Day

Hayley Grafton

12 May 2025

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1 min read

Firstly let me say Happy International Nurses’ Day to all my colleagues past and present.

Nursing is not something you do, it is something you are and I knew I was going to be a Nurse from the age of 14. Sitting at my Grandad’s hospital bedside, I watched the nurses go about their work with such calm, competence and care and I just knew. I was asked recently would I still go into Nursing if I was starting over and I absolutely would. It has been and continues to be a varied and meaningful profession.

I feel very fortunate to have known early on about my career path, and I had a fabulous 16 years as a bedside nurse, in General Medicine, Palliative Care and then specialising in Intensive Care. What I hadn’t anticipated back then was a move into clinical informatics and then digital nursing. Having said that, I’ve always been a bit of a nerd (often describing myself as a ‘Nerdy Nurse’). When my friends were buying the latest fashion trend I was buying the latest gadget. I also sought to digitise everything, much to my fellow ‘techno-phobe’ colleagues’ dismay, from nurses skills passports to full-scale EPRs. Doing anything but colouring with the kids on paper just didn’t make sense to me.

So digital nursing has truly been a revolution of bringing together two passions; patient care and technology. I’m very proud of being the clinical voice and the patient advocate in the digital health agenda. While those in these roles completely get it, the reaction from others has been interesting. I’ve been asked why I left nursing? And will I return to nursing once the ‘project’ is done? I’m still very much a nurse, in everything I do daily. I wholeheartedly believe in the cause of improving and changing the face of healthcare delivery with technology. Reassuringly, the importance is also front and centre of the NHS 10-year plan with the shift from Analogue to Digital.

I’ve been fortunate enough to have been in a digital leadership role for the past 6 years and involved in many implementations and attempts at digital transformation. The successes are fundamentally driven by the people, not necessarily the technology (although good, user-centred tech really helps). I have many scars, accolades and lessons learned, and the part of my job I enjoy most is sharing this experience, knowledge and insights, in the hope the next attempt avoids the pitfalls and dines on the successes. I’m delighted to be working with SmartCo Future Health as an associate to provide a clinical insight into the great work they do and to share the little wisdom I have far and wide.

True progress in nursing comes not only from compassion at the bedside, but from the courage to challenge the status quo and reimagine care for the future.

Inspired by the legacy of Florence Nightingale

About SmartCo Future Health

SmartCo Future Health is an award-winning consultancy shaping the future of healthcare. We bring a best-in-class team and future-focused approach; empowering clients, programmes and partners. We are a people first business, prioritising employee well-being, flexible working and equal opportunities for all.

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