It was a sad day today here at Nottingham Respiratory Research Unit as our research nurse Wendy Gerrard-Tarpey said her goodbyes and headed off into the sunset for a well deserved retirement.
Wendy has been a nurse with the NHS for 38 years and started at NUH in 1992 working at the Queens Medical Centre (QMC) and moved to the City Hospital in 2001. For the last 8 years Wendy has been a research nurse with us here at Nottingham RRU at the City Hospital.
In her time with us Wendy has recruited over 1,000 patients and volunteers into our clinical research studies and trials and seen to over 2500 individual trial and study visits by volunteers and patients.
Wendy was our Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) research specialist, although also working on Asthma studies and trials during her time here, COPD was her forte and favourite area. COPD research patients would always give Wendy a fantastic review and feedback in our annual survey and many looked forward to coming to see her.
Wendy's patient care was second to none. Patients always commented on how at ease they felt being part of a trial with Wendy and and how well they were informed about each test involved. Wendy really helped in giving every patient and volunteer a positive and rewarding experience in research.
Wendy was also passionate about infection control and was our NUH infection control nurse, no dirty hands, equipment, desks, rooms or couches on Wendy's watch.
Wendy is also a keen dancer and actor and appeared in "Coal" at Nottingham Playhouse in May 2016 and June 2017 and will now have more time devote to her passion, so keep a look out for Wendy in local and possibly national shows in the coming years.
We will all miss Wendy for her infectious enthusiasm, humour, humility and patient focused care priorities.
We all wish Wendy a very long, happy and very well deserved retirement, cheers to you Wendy.