Mother and Daughter Nurses' Shared Dedication to Patient Care in Gwent

Ann Price, from Penhow, first discovered that nursing was her calling in life when she dressed up in a nurse’s outfit at the age of seven. More than sixty years later, she has just celebrated an incredible fifty years in nursing - a vocation also shared by her daughter and fellow Gwent nurse, Helen. 

Throughout her remarkable career, Ann, 70, has forged a legacy, leading a number of health board projects that have transformed patient care and nurse recruitment in Gwent. Two of the most notable are her founding of a flagship induction programme for all newly registered nurses - the Journey of Excellence - and her role in the establishment of cardiac rehabilitation groups, both of which are still in use today. 

In each of her roles, Ann has always put her patients at the forefront of everything she does.  

“What matters to patients and relatives is what I care about. When I was a ward sister for almost a decade, the ward consistently received positive feedback. I know that was down to the communication with patients, relatives and staff, and encouraging staff to communicate well.”  Said Ann. 

“Patient care is my top priority. My Second passion is supporting newly registered nurses. I’ve always said that my job is growing people.” 

Using her decades of clinical experience, Ann has been able to channel her passion for nursing and improvement into teaching others through various education roles, as well as returning briefly to clinical duties during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Now, working part time as the Lead Nurse for Education in Primary Care, she supports nurses through the induction programme that she founded.  

Ann said: “Although I miss patients a lot, I get that same feeling of satisfaction when I’m able to grow nurses to feel the way I do about nursing.” 

Known for her professionalism, fairness, knowledge, and her ‘clipetty’ shoes, Ann has inspired decades of Gwent nurses, and her daughter, Helen, is no exception. 

Helen’s decade-long nursing career has taken her across multiple hospitals and services into roles involving her passions of patient discharge and care of older people, along with her current role as Senior Nurse for Medicine. Although Helen, 41, was initially reluctant to follow in her mother’s footsteps, her desire to work with people saw her join the Health Board as a healthcare support worker at 21 and immediately find her own calling. 

“As soon as I went into it [nursing], I loved it from the start and knew I didn’t want to do anything else.” Said Helen, who returned to university to complete her nursing qualification after seven years as a healthcare support worker. “There’s nothing more privileged than being able to give someone that safety and comfort that you can as a nurse. The way the patients look at you and smile at you and to them it means so much. That’s what it’s all about.” 

“I still feel like I was meant to be a nurse, I just had to get those extra life experiences to become the nurse I am today.” 

Despite establishing a flourishing nursing career in her own right, Helen credits her mother’s shining example of good nursing for shaping who she is today.  

“Seeing my mum as a nurse has helped me so much,”  Helen said. “She is quite famous amongst the nurses here. She has all the values and the qualities that make a good nurse. I do look at her and think she’s inspirational. She is so professional and has helped me so much with my own confidence. 

“If I’m ever half the nurse that she is, I’ll end my career a very happy person. I just feel very, very privileged to be able to work with my mum and do what we do - I think it’s a very special thing to share.” 

Ann feels that same pride in her daughter, who shares her passion for quality improvement, patient safety and clinical supervision. 

“When I hear what Helen has to say about me, I feel exactly the same about her.”  Ann said. “She’s like me - but she’s also her. It isn’t easy to follow in my footsteps I’m sure, but she is highly respected in her own right.” 

“She is also a very independent and capable nurse who has forged her own career identity and pathway with dignity and passion, knowing who she is and what she wants to do in her pursuit of excellent patient care.” 

Although they have only had one opportunity to work together on the same ward, Ann and Helen frequently rely on each other for advice and guidance. 

Helen said: “We do debate sometimes, but we’re very respectful of each other’s opinions from a professional viewpoint. We apply our own experiences to learn from each other and reach the same goal.” 

Despite her fifty-year career, Ann has no plans to retire just yet. “I want to be here for as long as I can - or as long as they’ll have me anyway!” 

Today, on International Nurses Day, we celebrate the incredible dedication and vital contributions of nurses worldwide.