Danielle McLeod  

District Nursing Team Lead  

NHS Grampian 

 

I had always wanted to be a District Nurse from a young age.  My great uncle used to have weekly visits for a leg ulcer and as I child I would get very excited to see the nurse at work.  In my teens I worked the summers in a care home.  Although it meant I had to miss a few nights out with my friends I just loved getting to know the residents and helping them, it is here that I decided to become a nurse. 

Danielle started her career in a hospital setting, but quickly became interested in the wider health journey.  

“I’m a people person and after making connections with the people in my care I wanted to keep supporting their journey after they went home. I was curious about the structures in place that keep people healthy outside of the hospital. Since moving into community nursing, I have become an advocate for truly holistic assessments and I am a strong believe in the continuity of care. Being able to connect people to the services and support they need throughout their journey is what creates health.” 

And Danielle is dedicated to preventing hospital admissions when these aren’t necessary.  

“My team lead role is hands on which means I still do complex home visits; I love the variety it gives me. District nursing is about ensuring that every individual feels like they’re a part of the assessment, and decision-making. I am ensuring that they have the tools to create their own health at home. I have the skills and knowledge to guide them towards a healthier future.” 

Danielle credits the Queen’s Nurse programme with changing the way she engages at work and at home. 

By speaking up and sharing my perspective I can affect positive change. The programme has increased my drive to engage with the team and senior management about changes we can make. It’s about being present and active in a situation. No project is happening ‘to’ me, they happen with me and as long as I connect meaningfully, I’m at peace with the fact that it might take a while before some ideas are put in place. 

“I love being a district nurse.  It requires real compassion – not just for those I care for, but for the other staff. Together, the team and I map caseload logistics, holistic assessments and prescribing needs – we touch base twice a day and make adjustments before lunch. If I create a space where people can share openly, alleviating pressure points is much more manageable.” 

“It’s really important to me that my door is always open. I work in a multi-disciplinary team, and we have shown real resilience in meeting the unique challenges the pandemic presented us. I try to check in with everyone regularly the only way we grow is together.”