Today is International Nurses Day - a day to celebrate nurses around the world in all specialisms. A day that coincides with the birth of Florence Nightingale. And no better day to find out how our very own Water Skills Academy Trainer and A&E Nurse, Katie Simmons (aka ‘@katiethesupnurse) found herself honing her skill set on ward and a board.
Katie’s journey to nursing was instigated by a conversation with an old friend. Having worked as a freelance outdoor instructor since the age of 18, Katie found the need to find additional work every winter, tiresome and stressful. With few academic qualifications she had never considered heading to university or training in a complementary profession - so it wasn’t until a colleague highlighted all of her qualities and transferable skills that Katie decided to shake things up a bit. Deciding to take the first step in healthcare training, she signed up for a college access course. A move which took her on to achieve a First-Class Honours Degree in Adult Nursing.
Katies keeping her cool on the ward, despite swapping out the sunnies for eye protection.
“If you’d told me 10 years ago I would have qualified as an A&E Nurse and a SUP Guide, I would have laughed and said, ‘no chance’!”, laughed Katie. Fast forward a decade though, and here she is working as an A&E Nurse, SUP Guide and WSA Trainer and sharing all that she’s seen and done with us! True testimony to Katie’s resilience, determination and joy of helping others.
“There are so many people I’ve helped, supported in times of need, inspired and laughed with. My work is a daily rollercoaster ride and one that is very unique - and that’s been across nursing and working as a SUP Guide. I feel incredibly privileged to have the skills I have now, that blend together daily”, she tells us.
The role of a SUP Guide is sometimes undermined by people, thinking your job is to take people paddling and have a bit of a jolly yourself, but nothing could be further from the truth. Yes, there are incredibly beautiful places to experience and share in, but the job is so much more than that.
“The water is a safe space for many, and I find that people embrace what’s around them and often confide in us, to which we listen, don’t judge and support them. This is very much the same as a nurse's role.
Always smiling! Katie is Water Skills Academy’s youngest Trainer and has recently joined the team at Palm.
I’ve had this experience numerous times on the water now and find it incredibly humbling to be a part of somebody’s paddling journey, and to understand what brings them to the water.”
“Want to break into paddlesports from another profession? Your skills will always surprise you!”
Having been at the forefront of clinical excellence, as well as mentoring and educating other health care professionals and patients, taking part in CPD and continuously evaluating how to make things better, everything nursing has taught her, is reinforced in her role as a WSA Trainer and Guide. And it seems to be a winning combination in the eyes of her clients.
“A young student nurse on placement in our A&E department had also been one of my paddleboarding customers a few years previously. She recognised me instantly, and hoped we would meet again. It turned out that she took up nursing and paddleboarding after meeting me. A very humbling moment!”
It is clear to see that both of Katie’s professional roles are working for her. After all, who wouldn’t want a nurse ‘on board’ a SUP expedition?
And as for Katie, watch this space! Not one to sit still, our youngest WSA Trainer has great plans to keep on exploring and educating her clients , building her paddlesports business, Basecamp Paddleboarding, and showcasing her talents on a personal and professional level.
This girl can. Katie taking on the rapids.
If Katie’s story has inspired you to pick up a paddle and take to the water, or to blend your current profession with a love of paddlesports enough to do the two side-by-side, then check out the same route to gain professional stand up paddleboarding qualifications via the Water Skills Academy personal and professional paddler SUP Courses taking place throughout the UK this summer.