Meet Our Amazing Nurses at Oakland Care

International Nurses Day is celebrated around the world on May 12^th, every year, the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth. As well as marking this important day in our care homes with celebrations and acts of appreciation for our nurses, we have spoken to a few of the amazing nurses that work for us to share their stories.

Olubunmi Ogundipe is the Clinical Lead Manager at our Woodland Grove Care Home in Loughton, Essex. Olubunmi has been working for Oakland Care since the summer of 2018 and her role is to lead the nursing team. She provides strong clinical knowledge, leadership and management to ensure the highest standards are achieved in all areas of the home, including person-centred care, clinical care and dementia care.

Olubunmi is an experienced Registered General Nurse and during her career, she has worked in a variety of settings, at management level, within the private sector and specialising in the care of the elderly and dementia care.

After coming to England 2005 Olubunmi started work as a care assistant. After realising the positive impact her job was having on the elderly people she was working within the community, and the great satisfaction she was getting from this, Olubunmi decided she wanted to be a nurse.

Olubumni said: “I worked my way up to becoming a senior carer and started studying to become a nurse. I didn’t work in the hospital setting for very long as I was interested in being in the community, where I could meet more elderly residents and contribute to the quality end of life care.”

Speaking about her passion for working in a care home environment, Olubunmi said: “Residents in a care home are usually here for a period of time, allowing us to get to know them and provide continuity of care, unlike the hospital setting where patients are there only for a short period of time.

“However, this does bring its own challenges, such as when a resident passes away. After knowing them over a period of time I have to deal with my emotions, act professional, support families and my team through this period.”

Speaking about nursing as a profession, Olubunmi says: “Nursing is a brilliant profession, it is rewarding, challenging and a worthwhile vocation. The changing needs of society have altered the level of expertise required at all levels of nursing, but the compassion required never changes and the ability to see ‘the person’ behind the illness will always be the crux to being a good nurse.

“I enjoy seeing my residents happy, healthy and their challenges identified on time and managed safely. The care we give and the difference it makes to our residents and their families is overwhelming and rewarding.”