As a member of our Housekeeping team, Katie Parker has the daily chance to see at close quarters the work of our medical teams in support of patients.
And it is witnessing those levels of care that has inspired her to aim for a major change of career.
“I’ve been working in housekeeping for the past 18 months and I have loved every minute of it but I’ll be 40 next year and I knew it was time to get the ball rolling and make some real chances in my life,” says Katie.
“Before I came to St Luke’s I was working three jobs over seven days every week so there was no work life balance and everything was just hectic.
"That’s when I applied for the job in housekeeping at St Luke’s and I think sometimes you get sent somewhere for a reason – and that’s what happened here.”
Katie’s current role involves maintaining the St Luke’s high standards of cleanliness, hygiene and infection control but it also gives her a chance to interact with patients and families, at the same time seeing for herself and being inspired by the work of the St Luke’s clinical teams.
“That’s when I realised that I wanted to make some important changes in my own life, that I wanted to be a hands-on part of someone’s journey,” she explains.
“I’d thought about nursing years ago and never done anything about it and it wasn’t till I came here and had my eyes opened to the opportunities that are available that I realised this is really what I want to do.”
Katie is now becoming a St Luke’s Healthcare Assistant, enabling her to grow her interest in hands-on clinical care and develop stronger working relationships with patients and families.
“The support from St Luke’s has been amazing and I couldn’t have done it without them,” Katie admits.
"There’s a lot to learn but I am really excited because I feel I am really moving on to the next stage in my life.
"It feels like I am doing something for me but, even more, I am doing it for the patients and families.
“My family is over the moon for me and my sons are so proud of me, which makes me even more enthusiastic to get started.
"I do thank the Housekeeping team so much because if I’d not had the job here, I would never have been inspired the way I have been - and I know now that this place really changes lives.”