Sandra Olive – photo supplied by NNUH

The Norfolk and Norwich University hospital has appointed its first Nurse Consultant in respiratory medicine.

Sandra Olive, previously a Respiratory Nurse Specialist at the Trust, is only the second Nurse Consultant to be appointed at the Trust, and her role aims to enhance the quality of care provided by the multidisciplinary team in the Department of Respiratory Medicine. The role of a Nurse Consultant combines elements of advanced clinical practice with professional leadership, education, quality improvement and research.

Sandra trained as a nurse in Norwich, at the Broadland School of Nursing, qualifying as a Registered General Nurse in 1988. She began her nursing career in older people’s medicine and gained experience in a range of clinical areas before taking her first role within respiratory medicine as a ward Staff Nurse in 1997. She later took a secondment opportunity, establishing a respiratory nursing service to support the care of patients with complex respiratory needs in the community setting.

In 2005, Sandra returned to the Department of Respiratory Medicine at NNUH as a Respiratory Nurse Specialist to develop a new early supported discharge service for people admitted to hospital with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The specialist respiratory nursing team has subsequently expanded to support the inpatient, domiciliary and outpatient activity of the department.

Sandra said: “I am delighted to be taking up this new post at NNUH which supports the aims of the department to deliver high quality multidisciplinary care. This role is an opportunity to advance nursing practice and contribute to the development of services through collaborative working, supporting the development of our teams and embedding clinical excellence. I am very pleased to be able to bring my nursing experience and skills to this senior clinical role.”

NNUH is a specialist centre for Interstitial Lung Disease, providing diagnosis, specialist treatments and support for patients with a range of conditions that can cause lung fibrosis, or scarring. Three years ago, Sandra set up a support group at the hospital for those living with pulmonary fibrosis, which meets quarterly and provides support, information and a point of contact for patients.

Emma McKay, NNUH Director of Nursing said: “We’re delighted that Sandra has been appointed to this exciting new role at the Trust and would like to congratulate her on this significant achievement. At NNUH, we’re committed to supporting the clinical development of our nurses and to fostering an environment where highly skilled and dedicated nurses have the opportunity to fulfil their potential.”