I would like to give the highest commendation to Rosely, the senior Band 5 nurse on the Burns Unit, on Thursday night.

We had a 52-year-old man in QMC Emergency Department with approximately 70% TBSA burns who required transfer to Birmingham. Unfortunately, he was too hypothermic to be transferred safely. At the same time, he urgently required extensive escharotomies to both upper limbs, along with scrubbing and dressing of his burns. This resulted in an unexpected and rapid transfer to City Hospital for emergency surgery.

At approximately 20:30, I contacted Rosely out of the blue and asked whether she could assist us in theatre and bring a large quantity of specialist burns dressings with her. Without hesitation or difficulty, Rosely stepped up and provided exceptional support.

She arrived in theatre around 20:45 and remained with us until approximately 02:00. Despite this being Rosely’s first experience working in theatre, she performed as though she had been doing it for years. In an environment heated to 30°C, she had everything prepared and ready before it was even requested. She actively assisted throughout the procedure, lifting limbs, getting fully involved, and maintaining a positive attitude throughout, all with a smile.

The complex operation was carried out smoothly and safely, and this was in large part due to Rosely’s professionalism, preparedness, and outstanding work ethic. We have recently been discussing the ethos of the Burns Unit, and Rosely exemplified that commitment entirely during the late hours of Thursday night and into Friday morning.

She is a fantastic role model for other nurses on the unit, and I am extremely proud to work alongside her.