Becky Platt - Championing gender equality in the workplace
Becky suggested meeting in her usual place of work, Paediatrics A&E department at Royal London Hospital (RLH) and expressed her shock and surprise after receiving her nomination.
Becky has been practicing as a Nurse for over 23 years; she applied for the stand alone Advance Clinical Practitioner (ACP) role 15 months ago and expressed she has never looked back. Her team at RLH made her feel welcome and accepted on arrival; in what could have been a very daunting experience. Becky feels she has provided clarity about her role and now feels her colleagues are confident in knowing when to come to her for support. She has been successful in showing the true value of the ACP role and feels she is able to the bridge the gap between doctors and nurses.
Becky discussed the importance of team work in healthcare and feels “you can inspire people, but you have to be inspired yourself to do that”. She expressed her passion for teaching and learning from others; highlighting the importance of the multidisciplinary team learning together and broadening each other’s skill set. Becky not only teaches colleagues; she also takes on the role of educating parents on practices such as CPR, which contributes to improving patient care and success.
Becky expressed that no day is ever the same; generally working 10 hour shifts and treating a mix of patients from minor injuries to emergency trauma calls. She also juggled this dynamic role alongside a challenging master’s degree which she has recently submitted to a high standard.
Becky explained her team has a big focus on staff wellbeing and she feels she compliments this through facilitating department specific Schwartz rounds. Becky champions the importance of reflective practice and encourages team members to speak up and say ‘I’m not okay’ when faced with challenging scenarios.
When asked about her motivation, Becky stated “If you feel motivated, you can motivate others”. She shared her love and passion for her job and stated “it’s a privilege to work in health care”. Becky finds being able to be there and make a difference to patients’ lives is hugely fulfilling and strives to give other nurses a voice and make them feel valued.
Thinking about the future; Becky wants equality in life, regardless of gender, culture and religion. She recently visited Samoa and was shocked and upset about healthcare inequality and opportunities. This filtered into her discussing her desire for equal opportunities for men and women in the work place and wishes for level playing field in the future.