........and the winner is........

I had to stop myself from being slightly churlish about the Trust's " going the extra mile" award, I won recently. However being cynical is not one of mypersonality traits (believe that one or not???) and today I had to remind myself to appreciate the accolade in the spirit that it was intended .
In actual fact listening to the director of nursing, stating why I had indeed won this award, reinforced what I know I am good at, and that isn't all the technical know how that ITU demands. I was thanked for providing holistic and individual care to a spinal patient AND his family, and although this kind of nursing care is second nature to me after 16 years spinal experience, I guess it was nice for my work to be recognised by my peers.
The "Thank you" awards and the nursing conference that accompanied them, was a surprisingly interesting and professionally run day, and the highlight was a jolly Hockeysticks but rousing keynote speech by Rosemary Kennedy the Chief Nursing Office for Wales on the subject of respect. I kind of warmed to her spirit-that-won-the-war approach to problem solving.
(right) pic of me with my award (the hair is a mess: just been lying down in the duck enclosure watching the ducklings.

Chris has been watching the ducklings like a hawk today as I have been away. They have been exercising in their run with doting Blanche and already look miles bigger than they did yesterday. I could watch them for hours