I have been a qualified Registered General Nurse since 1993. After gaining 18mths ward experience I was offered a position in A&E as a junior Staff Nurse in a large University teaching hospital down in the south of England. From the start I was taught how to suture. Closing wounds using tissue adhesive and staples had not then been introduced in A&E departments at that time so nearly all wounds were closed using the suturing method. I quickly developed a passion for trauma, in particular for wounds, and I was always ready and waiting for those patients who were bleeding. I took every opportunity to suture and even had the chance to watch the plastic and maxillo facial surgeons at work.

When tissue adhesive was introduced into the A&E departments, it was a huge advantage for the closure of simple wounds. However, by this time I had gained experience in more complex closure. This was quickly realised when I began my next A&E job as a Senior Staff Nurse and I was asked to teach on the induction training course for the junior doctors.

I became an Emergency Nurse Practitioner in 2006 and focused entirely on limb trauma and non life-threatening wounds that presented in the ED. I was also asked to work for a private medical company treating trauma patients at events and festivals across the country which I still do today.

I always aim to keep myself updated with research regarding primary closure of trauma wounds, so together with many years of experience in managing complex wounds, there are very few wounds I am unable to close in the ED, the exceptions being those that require theatre.

For several years I was also employed as a visiting lecturer at a local university, teaching wound management and suturing to ENP/ECPs on the Minor Injuries Course at degree level. The session was very popular but time limiting so, with encouragement from the University lecturers, this led on to me developing an independently run course, teaching medical professionals who were required to assess, manage, treat or refer acute wounds. Some had no prior experience in wound care at all but finished the course full of confidence.

With very few wound management and suture courses available and more and more ENP and ECPs being responsible for treating wounds, I am passionate about teaching this quickly deteriorating but important and essential skill.

I am now a Senior Emergency Nurse Practitioner and am the first point of call for all significant wounds that present in the ED in which I am currently employed. I have taught many of the practitioners and doctors I work with and am proud of how they have put the knowledge and skills I have taught them into practice.

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