I have mentioned her in my blog several times, especially in “when did I decide to become a nurse” and “which nurses inspire me”. So, if you’ve been following me or have read those posts, you will know that my mum is a nurse – Staff Nurse Carole Davidson. She had to take early medical retirement due to her fibromyalgia and misses her job terribly. She does still manage to do some nursing bank shifts; she can’t be kept away. That level of passion for nursing is one of the reasons I find her such an inspiration.
Also, not strictly my family, but my partner’s gran was a nurse. She is 90 this year and began her training aged 19 in 1947, one year before the formation of the National Health Service. I love listening to the stories of her training and time as a nurse.
However, today, I want to focus on a special member of my family, who although not a nurse, has a job every bit as essential to patient care, and helps make the nurse’s job possible – my dad, Adam Davidson, who is a Healthcare Support Worker.
My dad trained as a welder and worked in engineering for many years. However, when he was made redundant, aged 58, he chose to change career completely, becoming a Healthcare Support Worker at Erskine care home for veterans. I admire him immensely for this and am so proud. My dad has such an effervescent personality and kind heart, and I know that the veterans and their families will love him for that. And I do not doubt that he goes above and beyond for them.
Student nurses and nurses must never forget to value the vital work healthcare support workers do. They often get the opportunity to know patients much better than we can, and are the first to notice when something is wrong. I have learnt so much from them on placement, and thank all the healthcare support workers who have taken the time to help with my nursing education.
So, I am immensely proud to have a nurse for a mum and a healthcare support worker for a dad.
Published by Craig Davidson RN BSc (Hons) (he/they)
#HelloMyNameIs Craig. I am a Registered Nurse (Adult) working as a Senior Asylum-Seeker Health Nurse at the Asylum Health Bridging Team for Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership.
I graduated with a first-class BSc (Hons) Nursing Studies degree from Glasgow Caledonian University in August 2020 where I received the Ross Hall Prize for academic excellence and achievement upon graduation. I am currently undertaking a postgraduate qualification in integrating mental health and professional practice at the University of Dundee.
I passionately believe in social justice, eradicating health inequity, and achieving equality, diversity, and inclusion in all health and social care settings. I sat on the NHS Scotland Pride badge initiative working group.
I am a former Scottish representative on the Royal College of Nursing's (RCN) Students' Committee from 2018 to 2019. And assumed the chair's tenure in 2019. I also helped establish the RCN Newly Registered Nurses Network as a working group member. Additionally, I completed Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing's Nightingale Challenge for novice nurse leaders, before going on to become the European regional hub co-chair for the Nursing Now Challenge.
I co-host the award-winning podcast, "Retaining the Passion: Journeys Through Nursing", with my friend and fellow registered nurse Clare Manley. We discuss and hope to shed light on critical issues affecting the nursing profession and society more broadly by speaking to guests about their lived experiences. At the Health and Leadership Academy's 2020 Conference, we were awarded a prize for our work "Leading in Difficult Times". We were also shortlisted as finalists at the RCN's Nursing Awards 2021 in the "Innovations in Your Speciality" category. The Nursing Standard included us in a list of "Podcasts for nurses: five of the best to keep you learning while you listen".
As a nursing student, I was a Student Nursing Times editor. I was also a member of the Scottish Government's Country Specific Working Group for the Year of the Nurse and Midwife 2020. In 2018, @WeNurses included me in their list of #100OutstandingNurses, one of only three student nurses included. At the National Student Nurse Congress 2019, I was shortlisted as a future nursing leader. I was also honoured to be the Student Nursing Times' Student Nurse of the Year (Adult) Award recipient in 2019.
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