careers
Do you know someone we should interview or profile? Email the editor at [email protected] Call 020 872 3154 or @EditorNCYP
‘A voice for young people’ Colette Datt, nurse consultant for children and young people at Whittington Health in London, wants to help nursing students to realise how powerful they can be What does your role involve?
I run nurse-led asthma and allergy clinics as well as leading and developing clinical practice, and undertaking clinical research. My strategic work involves supporting and implementing the children and young person priorities and prevention agenda.
Clinical work keeps me grounded and gives me credibility with my clinical and nursing colleagues. The knowledge and experience I have gained during a 25-year nursing career gives me confidence to lead and influence change.
What is the greatest challenge?
Genuinely listening to and engaging with young people. The NHS does some listening, but too little action is taken afterwards. This can make young people disillusioned and disengaged.
What would you change if you could?
I enjoyed my children’s placement as a student nurse. A nurse mentor had said ‘if you do what you enjoy, you will enjoy what you do’. I grew up in a big Irish family with lots of brothers, sisters and cousins, so it was a natural environment.
I would help nursing students to be more confident and realise their power on the front line, and I would give them opportunities to undertake work-based projects. I would also ensure there was an acute focus for children on the prevention agenda and ensure appropriate resources were allocated.
What might you have done otherwise?
Where would you like to be in five years’ time?
Why did you become a children’s nurse?
Newly qualified children’s nurses have important roles observing children and their families, says Colette Datt
What do you enjoy most about it?
I worked in banking and disliked it, although I did meet my husband there.
Where did you train?
Whittington Health, London.
Where have you worked previously as a nurse?
Hertfordshire Children’s Community Nursing Team and Great Ormond Street.
What is your current job?
My clinical role focuses on asthma and allergy in children and young people, and I run nurse-led clinics for these conditions. I am the lead for transition for young people with long-term conditions and young person engagement. I also lead the young person’s board, a space for young people to tell us what they think about the services we provide. My academic and research interests focus on smoking cessation.
nursingchildrenandyoungpeople.co.uk
I would like to continue my clinical and strategic roles. I want to be an advocate for children and young people to ensure they truly are listened to and supported. I would like junior nurses to have a greater say about care delivery and to inspire them to work with young people to enable change.
What inspires you?
The young people I work with often surprise or even shock me with what they say, but they are powerful change agents. The altruistic people I meet in the NHS, who continue each day to work beyond their paid hours and go the extra mile for patients.
What achievement are you proudest of?
I developed and managed a children and young person’s engagement event last year that 65 young people attended. We learned so much about what young people actually think. The organisation totally embraced the process and now has a different perspective on how and why we must continue to engage and talk with young people.
What advice would give a newly-qualified children’s nurse?
You are an important person on the front line. You can observe, listen to children and families. If you become aware of simple things that could make a difference, you can make them happen and ensure the right people hear you. You are the voice of young people, and this is the fulcrum of being a children’s nurse.
volume 29 number 2 / March 2017 / 45
Do you know someone we should interview or profile? Email the editor at [email protected] Call 020 872 3154 or @EditorNCYP
‘A voice for young people’ Colette Datt, nurse consultant for children and young people at Whittington Health in London, wants to help nursing students to realise how powerful they can be What does your role involve?
I run nurse-led asthma and allergy clinics as well as leading and developing clinical practice, and undertaking clinical research. My strategic work involves supporting and implementing the children and young person priorities and prevention agenda.
Clinical work keeps me grounded and gives me credibility with my clinical and nursing colleagues. The knowledge and experience I have gained during a 25-year nursing career gives me confidence to lead and influence change.
What is the greatest challenge?
Genuinely listening to and engaging with young people. The NHS does some listening, but too little action is taken afterwards. This can make young people disillusioned and disengaged.
What would you change if you could?
I enjoyed my children’s placement as a student nurse. A nurse mentor had said ‘if you do what you enjoy, you will enjoy what you do’. I grew up in a big Irish family with lots of brothers, sisters and cousins, so it was a natural environment.
I would help nursing students to be more confident and realise their power on the front line, and I would give them opportunities to undertake work-based projects. I would also ensure there was an acute focus for children on the prevention agenda and ensure appropriate resources were allocated.
What might you have done otherwise?
Where would you like to be in five years’ time?
Why did you become a children’s nurse?
Newly qualified children’s nurses have important roles observing children and their families, says Colette Datt
What do you enjoy most about it?
I worked in banking and disliked it, although I did meet my husband there.
Where did you train?
Whittington Health, London.
Where have you worked previously as a nurse?
Hertfordshire Children’s Community Nursing Team and Great Ormond Street.
What is your current job?
My clinical role focuses on asthma and allergy in children and young people, and I run nurse-led clinics for these conditions. I am the lead for transition for young people with long-term conditions and young person engagement. I also lead the young person’s board, a space for young people to tell us what they think about the services we provide. My academic and research interests focus on smoking cessation.
nursingchildrenandyoungpeople.co.uk
I would like to continue my clinical and strategic roles. I want to be an advocate for children and young people to ensure they truly are listened to and supported. I would like junior nurses to have a greater say about care delivery and to inspire them to work with young people to enable change.
What inspires you?
The young people I work with often surprise or even shock me with what they say, but they are powerful change agents. The altruistic people I meet in the NHS, who continue each day to work beyond their paid hours and go the extra mile for patients.
What achievement are you proudest of?
I developed and managed a children and young person’s engagement event last year that 65 young people attended. We learned so much about what young people actually think. The organisation totally embraced the process and now has a different perspective on how and why we must continue to engage and talk with young people.
What advice would give a newly-qualified children’s nurse?
You are an important person on the front line. You can observe, listen to children and families. If you become aware of simple things that could make a difference, you can make them happen and ensure the right people hear you. You are the voice of young people, and this is the fulcrum of being a children’s nurse.
volume 29 number 2 / March 2017 / 45
