Kerry Anderson is a Queen’s Nurse, and Nurse Consultant with NHS Grampian.
Here she reflects on her career to date, her experience on the Queen’s Nurse Development Programme, and the importance of Learning Disability Nurses.
“It’s an exciting time for Learning Disability Nursing,” says Kerry Anderson, as she reflects on a recent win at the RCN Scotland Nurse of the Year Awards.
Kerry and her cohort from the Queen’s Nurse Development Programme won a third award for their project Think COULD, an original animated feature aimed at raising awareness of the need for improved support for individuals with learning disabilities within the justice system.
It’s been a busy few years since Kerry embarked on the development programme which, she says, offers “a great opportunity for all community nurses and midwives, at any stage of their career.”
Kerry was part of a cohort of eight nurses, funded by the Burdett Trust, to complete the programme, with a project that focused on the criminal justice system. Due to begin in 2019, to coincide with 100th anniversary of Learning Disability Nursing, the cohort’s studies were delayed slightly due to the pandemic, but created a significant body of work during the programme, when it was able to commence.
Describing the programme as, “a chance to connect with community nurses from all fields of practice”, Kerry was keen not only to develop her own practice during the nine months of study, but also to raise the profile of Learning Disability Nursing in the process.
Kerry has worked as a Learning Disability Nurse throughout her 30 year career, and feels lucky to have done so, “I can’t believe it’s been 30 years, it’s flown by. But I have been really fortunate that I have been able to stay within the service, and been able to progress.”
“There are currently challenges around the recruitment and retention of nurses, and that includes Learning Disability Nurses,” Kerry said. “Some people don’t know about Learning Disability Nursing, while others don’t know fully what Learning Disability Nurses do, including, for example, that they are the only professionals educated specifically to work across the lifespan with people with learning disabilities.
“People with learning disabilities have the poorest health outcomes, compared to any other population. So I want to highlight the importance of Learning Disability Nursing, and support nurses across the profession to think about how, in their own practice, they can support patients with learning disabilities, and address those health inequalities that exist,” Kerry explained. “I also want to look at modelling best practice around what we want for our patients and for our nurses.”
As well as her role as Nurse Consultant with NHS Grampian, Kerry is also Co-Chair of the Scottish Learning Disability Lead Nurse Group, a Scottish Representative at the UK Learning Disability Nurse Consultant Forum, and an Associate Lecturer at Robert Gordon University, in Aberdeen.
“I really enjoy my current role. I think it’s my favourite so far in my career,” Kerry said. “I am a passionate Learning Disability Nurse, and thrive on being able to see and maxmimise opportunities, as well as have professional responsibility for staff and practice.”
However, Kerry reflected that, “The Nurse Consultant role can be lonely, and the development programme offered me space to further develop my confidence, and learn to fully trust my abilities. Nursing is a ‘safety critical’ profession, and I see myself as a role model for excellence in care.”
The programme also allowed Kerry, “the chance to be a peer, rather than a leader”, which she welcomed, as well as time to focus on the benefits of wellbeing; something that’s not always at the forefront during busy work days.
So, is there any chance of Kerry herself slowing down in the near future?
“I can’t imagine doing anything else at this time,” Kerry said. “If an opportunity appeared, then I might consider it, but I don’t know at the moment what that would be! I don’t know if I can imagine myself doing anything else but learning disability nursing.”