A NURSE who began her career at Ards Hospital in 1984, has retired. Iris Markwell qualified as a registered Nurse in 1988 and gained experience in gynae, care of the elderly and many other surgical conditions In 1997, she moved to Ward Eight in the Ulster Hospital where she looked after patients who required surgery for cancer treatment as well as emergency surgical patients. She became Deputy Ward Sister and then Ward Sister where she continued to care for patients as well as managing an expert team of staff. In 2017, Iris was given the opportunity to develop a Clinical Nurse Education service for the Surgical Specialties Department to deliver training and to ensure new and existing staff were supported in their roles, training staff on clinical procedures and also supporting staff through the new encompass computer system. Reflecting on her career, Iris said it was ‘important to care for all in a challenging busy NHS environment, for the patients we support as well as their relatives and to support all grades of staff to deliver safe and effective care for the best outcome for the patient’s journey’.Iris paid tribute to her own medical mentors, Sister Irene Magowan in Gynae and Lead Nurse Jenny McMahon who were her managers, whom she ‘looked up to and respected’. She added: “During my career, I worked alongside various Consultants who were amazing.“ I have many happy memories in Ward Eight and I couldn’t have been a Ward Sister without the support of the staff and my family. There have been some amazing successes in treatments and some sad occasions, but overall I hope I have made a difference to the patients I have cared for.” Iris continued: “Developing the Clinical Nurse Education service for Surgical Specialties over the last eight years is a role I am proud of and I have loved seeing new staff thrive, this gives me great hope for the future of nursing even with the pressures put on staff with the NHS changes.” Looking forward to her retirement, Iris said: “I hope to spend time with my daughter who lives in Vancouver and to see the Canadian Rockies with her. I will also be hoping to use my motorhome to go on some adventures with my husband and our daughters as well as our granddaughter. “I will also have more time to go out for lunches with my twin sister Helen and spending time with my parents who I’m lucky to have and are 91 and 92.” Wishing Iris well in her retirement, Clinical Manager Surgical Specialties, Julie McClughan said: “Over her four decades of nursing, Iris has made a significant impact to patients, colleagues and students. Her care and compassion are always evident and people are at the heart of her practice. I will miss her both as a colleague and as a friend but wish her a very happy retirement.”
