Joy Ongcachuy speaks at the AfPP Residential Conference
Theatre nurse Joy Ongcachuy was recently a guest speaker at the annual Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP) Residential Conference.
The convention, held at York University from 8-11 August 8, brought together over 450 like-minded perioperative clinicians from across the UK to share best practice and to help each other further their careers.
Joy was invited to present at this year’s conference on her response to the 3 June 2017 terrorist attack on London Bridge. Joy was working nightshift in theatres at the RLH at the time and played a pivotal role in preparing the hospital for patients arriving from the attacks. All 12 patients survived, and as a result Joy was awarded an Officer of the British Empire on 29 December 2018.
“The theatre hall was packed and the feedback I received was amazing, they were touched by my story and a lot of people came to see me after the presentation, some in tears. It was very emotional,” Joy said.
Growing up, Joy always wanted to be a nurse. She loves to look after people and is passionate about providing care to others. Joy has been a senior theatres nurse at The Royal London Hospital since 2002. Keen to establish a new life for herself and her family in the UK, Joy hopped on a plane with 23 other Filipino nurses and joined The Royal London as a scrub nurse – a role she held until she was promoted to robotic lead nurse last year.