Karen Last

Qualifications

Dip HE Adult Nursing, Nurse Independent Prescriber

Specialisms

General Nurse, elderly care, frailty, rehabilitation

Introduction

I qualified as Registered General Nurse in 2009 and obtained my first post within a very busy district nursing team. This role enabled me to undergo extensive training and I became competent in the required clinical skills to effectively treat patients with a wide range of health conditions.  I have worked in various community-based roles including intermediate care, community stroke team and frailty virtual ward. Whilst working as a stroke nurse I enhanced and shared my skills and knowledge by teaching at regular stroke workshops and delivering training in a local university.  I also arranged training for other members of the team to ensure continued professional development.  In 2022 I was given the opportunity to be involved in the creation of a new Frailty Virtual Ward Team, enabling older patients with an acute exacerbation of a frailty related condition to be cared for at home, thereby avoiding a hospital admission. I was involved in building and developing an effective model that was patient centred. Duties included receiving and triaging referrals from GP surgeries, hospital frailty teams and other agencies and carrying out visits to accepted patients completing a holistic assessment and developing a plan of care. 

My current role is ward manager of a twenty-three bedded intermediate care centre providing rehabilitation for patients to enable them to regain some level of independence. The main cohort of patients are elderly and have a high level of frailty, therefore safety is paramount as many are at risk of falls. As well as my regular clinical duties my managerial duties include leading and effectively managing a large team of RGN staff and rehabilitation assistants and establishing and managing systems for clinical governance. My responsibilities include preparation of the staff rota, overseeing and participating in staff supervision and appraisal, staff recruitment, meeting with colleagues to discuss patient progress to ensure a smooth discharge process and holding monthly meetings with RGN and care staff to cascade information and ensure their voices are heard.  I have undergone training to review incident reports and have dealt with complex complaints with the aim to resolve them satisfactorily and implement any learning as a result.  By undertaking regular audits for the ward environment, I can identify any areas that may require improvement and develop a plan to achieve this.   I am passionate about achieving the highest standard of patient care by sharing my skills and knowledge with my team and encouraging the development of staff. I strive to ensure that any students who are undergoing placement on the ward are well supported and have a positive experience. As I undertake clinical duties I ensure my skills are current, I also qualified as a Nurse Prescriber in 2014 which I utilise regularly.  My experience of working in varied community settings has allowed me to develop a broad range of effective skills. In my current management position I ensure that I am able to balance management and clinical responsibilities and am confident and adept in handling the high pressure environment. I have excellent time management skills and am flexible with the ever changing demands of the setting in which I work.

I accept instructions from both claimant and defendant solicitors and insurers. I have undergone formal training in the medico-legal process and am fully aware of my responsibilities under Civil Procedure Rules (CPR) pertaining to expert witnesses.