October marks Black History Month here in the UK. #BlackExcellence is one of many terms that we have seen used within our community over the last few years to celebrate our history, culture, experiences and achievements. As an advocate for all things personal and professional development, this series aims to shed light on individuals that are doing some amazing things within their respective industries and ultimately being their own definition of black excellence. I have had some insightful and informative conversations over the last few weeks and it is my hope that this series will inspire you to take action and indeed be your own definition of black excellence. First up, we have Nicola, a neonatal nurse that I met a few years ago, whilst a student at the University of Southampton. I admire Nicola for several reasons, particularly her resilience and commitment to her profession and industry as a whole.

JF: For those of you that don’t know you, who are you and what do you do?
NW: My name is Nicola Wiafe and I am 26 years old. I currently work as a neonatal nurse in Doha, Qatar. I specialise in the care of newborn infants, from babies that are born prematurely to newborns that have a range of health conditions. There is a massive lack of awareness surrounding this speciality. I have often heard the parents say, “I did not know about NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) until my baby could not live without it”. My job is far from glamorous but it is so rewarding. I wake up every day knowing my contribution will make a difference in the lives of families and industry, as a whole. I have looked after babies who weigh less than a bag of sugar and those incredible little humans have taught me so much about strength and resilience than most adults ever could. I get to be a part of my patients’ journey and the feeling of knowing you’ve done some good in your day is honestly priceless.

Image: Nicola Wiafe, glamorous outside of work!

JF: Nicola, what 3 words would you use to describe yourself?
NW: I would say that I am caring, ambitious and focused.

JF: I can definitely attest to that - must be the winning formula for a successful nurse. Tell me about your journey into healthcare and the amazing role that you are currently in.
NW: I have always known that I wanted to work with children. This was further reinforced after I did some work experience whilst at secondary school. My mum suggested nursing as a career option as her own mother was a nurse. The more I looked into it, the more I realised that there were nurses who specifically looked after unwell children, which was of particular interest to me. I qualified from the University of Southampton five years ago now (gosh, time has flown!) and worked in one of the largest cardio thoracic and respiratory hospitals in the country, looking after children who suffered from a range of cardiac and respiratory conditions. It was hard work, to say the least, but I learnt so much personally and professionally and of course, as aforementioned, the children in my care always taught me so much.

Whilst in that particular role, I decided that I wanted to travel but still practice, so I decided to move to Melbourne, Australia for a year (yes, VERY random!) and I worked within a neonatal unit in one of the biggest children’s hospitals in the Southern Hemisphere. After my year was up, I returned to the UK and worked within another NICU in one of the oldest maternity hospitals in London. I was lucky enough to obtain my postgraduate qualification in a neonatal speciality within this role. Again, itchy feet returned and I decided to fulfil a desire I had as a student, which was to work in the Middle East. I was fortunate enough to land a job in a 54-bedded neonatal unit in the first women’s and children’s hospital in Qatar.

JF: Wow! What a journey thus far and I really admire how you managed to marry your desire to travel with pursuing your career. I think we often underestimate the importance of ‘upskilling’, if you will, and I can only imagine how difficult it must have been to juggle your postgraduate qualification whilst in such a demanding role.

JF: What struggles have you faced practicing in the Middle East and what has kept you going in the face of said challenges?
NW: For those who may not know, Qatar has been experiencing a blockade from its neighbouring countries which means it has to outsource and trade with countries from further afield, this of course has an effect on hospital supplies, so although I work in one of the richest countries in the world with technology and money that the NHS would only dream of, there are still limitations at times, to my job. My biggest struggle here has been dealing with the fact that healthcare is not free and there are not enough systems in place yet that allow for smooth patient transition from hospital to home. There is an element of societal hierarchy when it comes to accessing healthcare resources and there is still such a vast difference between the rich and the poor. However, knowing that I am making a difference is what keeps me going – it is not always easy and the outcomes are not always favourable, but knowing that I am part of something new in a country like Qatar is amazing. The hospital has only been taking patients for a year and I am part of team who has helped contribute to a hospital from the very beginning, which, as you can imagine is extremely rewarding.

JF: Interesting you mention that because I recently read that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has taken an interesting stance for 2020, let’s tell readers a bit more about this. What is your vision for your career going forward and how does this tie in with the ethos of the WHO?
NW: So, the World Health Organisation has declared 2020 to be the year of the nurse and midwife and with the NHS launching massive campaigns to encourage people into the profession, now is the time to act accordingly. I would like be recognised within the UK’s healthcare industry as someone who advocates for nurses and speaks about struggles that we go through. I want to change the perception of nursing and for people to understand the knowledge, skills and expertise that goes into the job. Not everyone wants to be a nurse and that is OK but I would love for people to acknowledge the profession and hopefully encourage emerging talent to join our rewarding industry. Professionally, I am definitely keen to progress into more senior roles within the NHS when I move back to England. This profession genuinely knows no bounds so whilst that is my end goal, I am very flexible and ready to embrace the journey as it comes!

JF: So I came across something new from you on social media recently, Nurse Chat. What is Nurse Chat? What do you aim to promote on this platform?
NW: I was led to create a nurse-related platform through social media called Nurse Chat, that aims to discuss everything and anything nurse related. The aim is to ignite conversations between students and nursing professionals. I draw on a lot of my own experiences of nursing and offer insight, advice and resources that I too would have loved to have had access to as a student. I never really see nurses being represented or described as professionals. There are not enough workshops, platforms or resources for us to attend or be invited to and as people say you, have to build your own tables to sit at and make your own platforms, Nurse Chat aims to do exactly that for nursing professionals.

My hope is that Nurse Chat will grow and become a reliable and consistent outlet for nurses to turn to. I want to be published in nursing literature (I have managed to secured my first publishing gig next month!) and I intend to deliver workshops surrounding networking, and other nurse-related issues, with my main focus being how nurses can succeed and build a life that suits them. Mental health amongst nurses is once again, something that is not spoken about enough and so I would love to include some health and well-being elements into the workshops. I am actively working on collaborating with other nursing professionals through various social media platforms. Lastly, I want to show people that you can grow a successful business alongside nursing. I am currently working to creating some amazing products - I will not give too much away just yet, but just know it is coming!

Final Words:
I actually met Nicola whilst at university and it has been so inspirational and genuinely heartwarming to see her grow within her profession and embrace (with both hands - and full suitcases!) new opportunities. I love the concept of Nurse Chat and totally agree, there does not appear to be enough out there for upcoming nurses and existing sisters. Now you heard the girl, watch this space. Be sure to follow Nicola on Instagram and the Nurse Chat blog and their Instagram page also. Keep your eyes peeled for the great things Nicola is about to release - I promise you, she is coming for everything!

BLACK EXCELLENCE: NICOLA WIAFE

BLACK EXCELLENCE: VELVIERE

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