Advanced Critical Care Practitioners (ACCPs)

I started here at Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust in 2016 as one of the first cohort of trainee ACCP’s. I came to the role from a predominantly critical care background. I worked in a major trauma centre where I completed my ITU course and worked my way up to becoming a Critical Care Outreach Sister. I became an ACCP because I have always had a keen interest in advanced practice. The ACCP role is unique and has allowed me to develop my career both within clinical and non-clinical practice.

I have had several opportunities here at Portsmouth to grow and develop. I have been supported to undertake some amazing CPD from advanced ventilation to an airway cadaver course. I have been successful in achieving my FUSIC lung ultrasound qualification and am now have mentorship status. I have nearly completed my MSc in Advanced critical Care practice. Outside of my clinical role here at Portsmouth I am the Wessex ACCP group elected chair and we meet regularly to support each other and raise the profile of ACCP’s. We work on various workstreams locally and Nationally to shape the future of ACCP practice which is hugely rewarding.

Portsmouth ITU is an exciting, supportive and friendly place to work. The department is very welcoming with a strong commitment to the ACCP program. Becoming an ACCP was one of the best career choices I have made to date.

In my spare time I can either be found walking my highly energetic dog on the South Downs or in the gym. I
love weightlifting, I am a qualified British Weightlifting coach and take part in regional level competitions.

Prior to undertaking the ACCP programme at QAH I worked as a Cardiac Nurse for eight years in a London teaching hospital. In the latter two years I was a Cardiothoracic Nurse Specialist, having completed my MSc in Cardiorespiratory Nursing. This role gave me an insight into the world of Advanced Practice and the opportunities it can offer. I was part of the first cohort of ACCPs to join Portsmouth in 2016. This was both daunting but exciting and a challenge well worth taking.

Within this role I have undertaken several exciting opportunities. I have completed my Focused Intensive Care Echo (FICE) course & am a keen mentor in this. I have a great passion for teaching & helping others to achieve their goals. Outside of the role I am currently completing my PGDip in Medical Education.

The ITU at QAH is a friendly environment and the work ethic is brilliant. It is amazing to be part of a multi-disciplinary team that strives to provide outstanding patient care.

In my spare time, you might find me running around after my energetic toddler and dog, going for nice walks and shopping.

More information coming soon…

My passion for Critical Care stems from my brother’s life-threatening brain injury in 2006. The months spent with him whilst he remained in Critical Care gave me a very personal insight into Critical Care nursing.

I began working at Queen Alexandra Critical Care Unit at the earliest possible opportunity in 2014 as a newly qualified nurse.  I undertook my ITU course at Bournemouth University in 2016, and I am now approaching the end of my two-year Advanced Critical Care Practitioner (ACCP) training.

My ACCP training has kept me busy for the last two years but moving forwards I hope to learn and develop new skills such as echocardiogram and lung ultrasound.  I aim to undertake my Master’s next year. I have a particular interest in training and education and hope to do more teaching in the future. During my ACCP training I became a certified Advanced Life Support (ALS) instructor and now teach on regional ALS courses.
My favourite thing about working in DCCQ is the collaborative working environment.

There is a real sense of teamwork, and the whole MDT work together to provide ‘outstanding’ care for our patient and it is a pleasure to be a part of such caring and responsive team.

In my spare time I have a passion for horse riding, running, netball, dog training and allotment gardening.

My career in Critical Care began in 2012 as an Army Nurse and since then I had developed my knowledge and experience of Critical Care in both the NHS and whilst deployed on overseas operations in Afghanistan and Sierra Leone.

Upon discovering the emerging role of the ACCP, I knew that this was the pathway that I wanted to pursue and as such left the Army and secured a trainee ACCP post at the Queen Alexandra Hospital. Training in Portsmouth has been a demanding but extremely rewarding experience. It has been full of opportunities both on and off the Critical Care Unit that have helped shape and develop me as an ACCP in a supportive and immersive environment.

My interests include the transfer of critical care patients as well as ultrasound and plan to undertake accredited training in both lung and cardiac ultrasound.

I have not totally abandoned my roots as a soldier and continue to serve as an Army Reservist in my clinical role which I feel for me brings extra elements to my skill set which I am able to utilise within my NHS practice.

Even as a student nurse, ITU was always my dream job. I spent a couple of years getting some experience in general medicine and MAU before joining ITU, and I still absolutely love it. I was an ITU nurse for over 5 years before I began my ACCP training. I had always wanted to do something specialised. I wanted to progress my clinical knowledge and skills, rather than just taking on a more managerial role. I found my training very
challenging, but I love being an ACCP. DCCQ is a friendly environment, the ACCP team are incredibly supportive
and I am so glad that I trained here! I feel extremely lucky to be in my role. 

I am really looking forward to working with new trainees and being a part of their induction and ongoing mentorship. I feel really strongly about supporting trainees throughout their journey – support is vital, and I think makes a huge amount of difference to their experience. I am hoping to contribute to the national framework for trainees.