Fiona Gaskell our Head of Nursing discusses International Nurses Day.

On the run up to International Nurses Day, join us in celebrating the economic power of care embodied by our nurses and the transformative impact they have on the future of nursing in Scotland.

Today, we're shining a spotlight on the invaluable contributions of our nurses at the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS), highlighting their pivotal role in ensuring the steady flow of vital blood and tissue donations – delivering effective blood services for the people of Scotland.

Fiona Gaskell, Head of Nursing (SNBTS), reflects on the dedication and expertise of her diverse nursing teams and tells us how proud she is to be leading such highly skilled and compassionate professionals delivering safe, effective, person-centred care. "Our nurses are the heart and soul of SNBTS, working tirelessly year-round to support a wide array of critical services." Fiona shares.

Among our dedicated nursing teams are tissue and bone donor coordinators, transfusion practitioners, infection control nurses, research nurses, and clinical apheresis nurses. Fiona emphasises the essential role they play in facilitating life-changing donations and providing exemplary care to donors and patients alike.

"Our tissue and bone donor coordinators demonstrate unparalleled compassion and empathy, crucial when working with both living donors and bereaved families." explains Fiona. "Their efforts ensure that every donor gift contributes to transformative surgeries and therapies."

The clinical apheresis nurses, utilising their advanced clinical skills, deliver essential treatments to patients across Scotland, ranging from plasma exchange to red cell and white cell reduction. Fiona’s proud of their unwavering commitment to service excellence and their dedicated person-centred care, forging enduring clinical relationships with patients.

The transfusion practitioner team stands at the forefront of promoting safe and appropriate transfusion practices, driving significant improvements in transfusion protocols across NHSScotland. Their dedication has led to a remarkable 50% reduction in the total number of blood components transfused per 1,000 population, ensuring optimal patient care.

Finally, our blood donation nurses form the largest team of our nursing workforce, tirelessly engaging with donors to ensure an adequate blood supply for the people of Scotland. Working across diverse settings, they strive to make the donation process as convenient and accessible as possible, encouraging support from members of the community to give blood and help save a life!

Find more more: visit our Scotblood website.