Caring resident Alison Frankel celebrated International Nurses Day this May, which gave her a chance to talk about her career in medicine.
Alison has gone from working at a nursery school with children to working in intensive care – and finally caring for people’s much-loved pets!
Alison, aged 84, started work in 1956 when she was just 16. She began her career at a nursery school in Newbury and, after a three-year training course, became a quality nursery nurse. She then began working at a children’s home in South Wales.
However, after a time at a hospital, Alison was persuaded to qualify as a nurse and underwent another three years of training at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading in 1964.
After working with young mothers, she then went on to train as a neo-natal nurse in intensive care.
She said:
“I found it very sad working with young girls of 16, who at the time often had to give up their babies for adoption, so I moved back to hospital work.”
Indeed, Alison loved working in various hospitals around the country before becoming a Sister in Winchester.
She said:
“Sadly, at the age of 43, I developed allergies causing severe eczema on my hands and arms, and this meant I had to retire from the career I loved.”
However, not to be put off from caring, Alison then managed a therapy centre in Southampton where she also trained as a counsellor which led her to work in a GP surgery offering professional counselling.
She added:
“When I finally decided to retire, I then took up boarding dogs, it was quite a career!”
Alston House Wellbeing Coach Lidia Nikolova Gjorgjieva said:
“Alison is an impressive woman, she has not only done a very physically demanding job, but she has dealt with so many intense situations.
“We all admire her very much, and hopefully, for the first time, we can make a fuss of Alison - she certainly deserves a break!”
International Nurses Day is celebrated on May 12 and promotes the incredible work nurses do worldwide.
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