Lauran Boulton originally began working at Little Havens as a Care Team Nurse. Since then, she has become a Team Leader co-ordinating the team on shift to ensure the children and families are being cared for in the best way possible.

“Before I ever stepped inside a hospice, I had a lot of preconceptions. I thought there would be a lot of sadness and that it wouldn’t be somewhere I would like to be, but I did a couple of placements at children’s hospices during my training and just loved it. I knew that’s where I wanted to be, so I’ve worked in hospice care since I first became a nurse in 2008.

“Having experience of children with disabilities or additional needs is really important. Being a Nurse at Little Havens includes all aspects of caring for a child with complex and incurable conditions. From medical care, such as symptom management, medication and therapy schedules, to holistic care, whether that is sensory play or playing with their favourite toys. I love the variety of my job – no two hours are ever the same.

“There’s a huge variety of clinical care that goes on, which I think is underestimated. Things like enteral feeding are a big aspect of our care, as well as central lines, seizure management, tracheostomies, and breathing-related conditions. Many of our children need additional help, whether that’s BIPAP, CPAP or suctioning. It may not be as intense as it would be on a ward, but it’s part of that child’s care, so there are lots of it.

“We are in such a position of privilege to be able to work with our fantastic families that go through so much. The kids are so brave – they are awe-inspiring. Being there for them at the most challenging time in their lives is the most rewarding thing you can do.

“Working at a children’s hospice isn’t what you would expect. It’s a really enjoyable job, and I get a lot of job satisfaction out of it. As well as sad times, there are lots of really happy times – like the time we brought Christmas forward for a child we were caring for. All of the staff got involved and made sure their room was decorated – we even had a Christmas tree. Seeing the happiness on their face was amazing and really showed how we are ‘Making every day count’ for the families we care for.

“Little Havens is such a special and beautiful place. The team here is so supportive and really invested in my professional development. Every day is different and brings new challenges, but the team are amazing, and we have so much fun. We’re a lovely close-knit team, and we all look after each other – I’m so proud to work with them.

“It is a real privilege to care for our children and their families. I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else – it’s the best job in the world.”

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Published on 4th October 2022