9 am – The first thing I do is write up notes about the phone calls I received overnight while on call ready for the morning meeting. I received calls from hospice staff seeking advice and alerting me to a man discharged from hospital and needing a visit.

I then prepare for the day I’m going to visit two teams of district nurses about patients and three patients– two are follow-up visits and one is a new referral. Each hospice nurse looks after 20 to 30 patients at a time in a set area, mine is Romford and Collier Row.

9.30 am – I attend the team meeting and we hand-over patients and discuss workloads for the day. Afterwards we can talk to hospice doctors about patients’ symptoms and medication.

10 am –  I drop into the district nurses in Romford for information about the progress of a patient we are caring for. We work closely with district nurse teams and GPs to ensure highest standard of symptom control is given as well as supportive care to patients and their families.

10.30 am – I visit my first patient of the day a 56-year-old woman recently diagnosed with a brain tumour. She is nervous about suffering more fits after being hospitalised following one so we discuss medicine that may prevent them and keep her out of hospital, which she wants. I ask how she feels and about her session with our physiotherapist and she requests another appointment as she has back pain so I will arrange this. I review her medication as both she and her husband asked me about it and I liaise with her hospital specialists to ensure continuity of care. I explain that I will write to the GP for the new prescription.

11.30 am - I call into the Collier Row district nurse team to learn about a patient they’ve referred.

12 pm - I visit my second patient a 60-year-old woman with cancer, who had her care changed after difficulty keeping food down - she is eating better. I help the district nurse take bloods because she’s experiencing difficulty and then comfort the patient as she is upset.

12.45 pm – Time for a quick lunch while I write up the mornings’ notes before my next appointment.

1.30 pm – I visit an elderly woman with cancer for the first time, she doesn’t like to talk about how she is feeling so I learn about her history and illness from her family. I tell them how the hospice and myself can help them and inform them about available financial support. Then I let them talk and outline the medication prescribed. I then introduce myself to the patient and see if she is comfortable and how she feels. Before leaving I let the family know that she is quite poorly and that I will be contacting them with a care plan shortly. My aim is to get her symptoms under control so she is comfortable.

3 pm – Back to the hospice to deal with messages and complete my notes and letters to the GPs with details of the medication I want prescribed and district nurses about any changes.

5.30 pm – I go home as someone else is on call tonight - the team is available 24-hours all year round to give advice to colleagues, healthcare professionals, patients and their carers.

I feel privileged to have this job where I meet patients and families and help make a difference by sorting out their problems. I’m blessed I’ve got a good team and access to many services.

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