My name is Anerie (Hinchliffe) Jones, I’m a School Nurse and I work in the Eastern Public Health Nursing Team for Devon County Council.
When did you start at Devon County Council?
I started at Devon County Council in January 2020. I was employed as an SCPHN student where I trained for a year and completed my Specialist Community Public Health Nursing post-graduate
diploma, which enabled me to practice as a SCPHN School Nurse.
What made you choose to work for Devon County Council?
I chose to work for Devon County Council as I’m originally from Devon and grew up here. I wanted to move back to Devon to live in the countryside, be near the sea and close to my family. Working for Devon County Council was very appealing as they would fund my SCPHN School Nurse training and also pay me a nursing salary whilst I trained.
Can you give an overview of your role?
The main focus of my role as a School Nurse is to support the health and wellbeing of children and young people, to improve outcomes through early intervention and preventative work. This might include support around mental health and emotional wellbeing, sleep, toileting, diet, behaviour, sexual health and additional needs. Through referrals we support children and their families in schools and communities. We might work with them over a period of time offering health promotion advise and interventions, as well as sign posting or referring to more appropriate or specialist health services. Safeguarding is also another key role; we work with a team of professionals to promote the protection of children to reduce the significant risk of harm.
How did you come to be in this role?
I’m a qualified Children’s Nurse and I previously worked in the paediatric A&E. I completed the Specialist Community Public Health Nursing post-graduate diploma, School Nursing Pathway, which enabled me to practice as a registered SCPHN School Nurse.
What support did you receive when you joined Devon County Council?
I receive lots of support as a SCPHN Student. I was assigned a Supervisor and Assessor to
ensure I was supported but also meeting the expectations and learning outcomes. We were provided with protected time for peer support and supervision, as well as a structured preceptorship year and action learning sets. I completed my training during the COVID pandemic
and still felt well supported and was able to achieve my competencies.
How have you progressed through your role?
Having completed the SCPHN course as a Band 5 Nurse, upon qualifying I secured a position as a Band 6 School Nurse.
What’s your favourite part of what you do?
One of my favourite parts of my job it that it’s very varied and no two days are the same. It is a very rewarding job and I enjoy the continuity of care aspect, where I’m usually able to see the positive impact, our involvement may have. Unlike with other nursing where the care is often more short term. I also love working with students, I really enjoy teaching, facilitating learning and supporting others to develop professionally.
What else do you enjoy about your job?
Another aspect I really enjoy about my job is the work-life balance. I work regular hours that are not unsociable, no nights, weekends or bank holidays, unlike with many other nursing roles. This job has also provided me with excellent career progression.
What benefits do you enjoy?
One of the benefits I enjoy is the hybrid working pattern. I enjoy that some elements of our job we continue to do from home, which saves a lot on travel time. As I work full time, I also find the reduced travel can be less tiring helping me to focus better on my work. I also really enjoy going to schools and working directly with children and young people as well as seeing my colleagues in person. So, it’s really nice that I get to do a mix of both.
What do you enjoy about living and working in Devon?
I work with a lovely team of colleagues, I have a very rewarding and stable job and I love that after I finish work, on a sunny summers evening, I can head down to the beach.