"Amazing Nurses working under pressure in Devon Blood Donation"

I attended an appointment for blood donation at Newton Abbot Race Course in Devon. I was telephoned Friday to come and attend as there is a national shortage of O- blood. My appointment was made for 4.30pm. 

On arrival at 4.20pm - I didn’t have any paperwork due to the call and appointment being made two days before, the nurse who greeted me explained she couldn’t get access to the computer and gave me a number to be called up when access to the computer could be got and paperwork to fill in. 

Another nurse, addressed the waiting donators as there was a delay. I had been waiting 25 minutes at this point. The delay as explained was due to the previous afternoon session donations and paperwork. The other nurses in the team who were not on their break could be seen all working together to resolve the situation as quickly as possible, with many eyes all watching from waiting donators. 

A person who was waiting got very angry due to the delay insisted that they were very important to donate and that the hold up was unacceptable. All the nurses were amazing in taking care of this and especially the nurse who caught the brunt of the anger. This nurse I believe is called Fi.

I wish to tell Fi, that she handled the situation amazingly. The way the nurses were spoken to was totally uncalled for and unexpectable. The nurse had to compose herself in a pack waiting area and continue to greet more people arrival. 

A fellow nurse came over and checked in on Fi, who carried on doing her duty in a controlled manner that anyone who didn’t witness the incident would have never known. 

Later on, once I was donating my blood, the other nursing team where taking their late break due to the situation of the afternoons session. A nurse in a navy blue uniform checked in on some of the nurses to ensure they had taken their half hour break and had eaten - in a manner that was so caring and due to the back log made the nurses in the lighter blue uniforms, feel like they should and could take their breaks. 

Well done to the TEAM of blood donation nurses today at Newton Abbot Race Course.