Laurie Small

Qualifications 

BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing

Specialisms 

• A&E Nursing
• Intravenous Cannulation & Drug Administration
• Phlebotomy
• Assessment

Introduction 

I qualified as a registered nurse in 2009. My first role was as a qualified nurse in A&E in a small District General Hospital (DGH).  I went on to complete A&E modules at the affiliated university along with other studies in order to become specialised in this area of nursing. This led to me securing a Band 6 senior staff nurse position where I was able to further develop my triage, mentorship and leadership skills.

In order to gain some trauma experience, I moved to a Major Trauma Centre in South West London with a cardiac catheter lab, hyper - acute stroke unit, and all the specialties that would usually get stabilised and transferred over from the District General Hospitals.  I returned to A&E in a district general hospital following maternity leave and was promoted to band 7 senior sister. A large part of this role involved co-ordinating the department and facilitating patient flow, as well as ensuring high standards of patient care and safety.  

At this Trust, I attended the South West London Cancer Network meeting to represent our A&E department and was appointed as the Acute Oncology Service (AOS) link nurse. There was a large cancer centre local to the hospital and so acute oncology presentations in A&E were common. A dual role was established as a pilot in a newly developing service for AOS and A&E avoidance which I took on. The post involved triaging patient calls, and working on the Clinical Assessment Unit (CAU) alongside the AOS team, triaging and treating emergency admissions. It involved utilising the skills and knowledge I had developed over the years in A&E, (including triage, initial clinical assessments, acute care, venepuncture, cannulation and drug administration via a variety of routes). After a year in post, both the hotline and CAU passed their pilot phase, and I secured a permanent job in the CAU.

Due to the Covid_19 pandemic, I was re-deployed from the CAU to the surgical pre-assessment unit, working as a senior staff nurse carrying out telephone and face-to-face pre-assessments; this involved taking a history, ordering and doing any pre-operative investigations that may be required, making any necessary referrals, and ensuring the patient has all the relevant information to be prepared for their surgery. 

Alongside my re-deployed role, I worked regular bank shifts in A&E, as well as some bank work for my local Primary Care Trust, delivering the second and third doses of the COVID 19 vaccine to house bound patients; and working in a mass vaccination hub.

I have since left my substantive post at the cancer hospital, and I now work as a senior bank nurse in my local A&E, working 2-3 shifts a week. I work in all areas of the department including majors, resus and triage.  

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.