Veteran nurse to retire after 25+ years' work in critical care
A nurse who has cared for critically ill patients at Colchester General Hospital ever since the hospital opened is to retire after almost 40 years' NHS service.
Marian Baker, a Sister in the Critical Care Department, retires on Friday (12 March), the day before her 60th birthday.
She has worked in the department since Colchester General Hospital opened in 1984 and before that for almost 11 years in two spells at Essex County Hospital, which included some time in intensive care (as the Critical Care Department was then called).
"I've really enjoyed it," she said. "I've had many wonderful colleagues and have also particularly enjoyed the contact with patients and their families.
"What really attracted me to critical care was the chance to work with patients on a one-to-one basis and to give specialist care.
"When I started in intensive care at Essex County Hospital, we had only three intensive care beds and recovery to look after, but now we have 11 beds and are looking to increase that number to 14.
"The equipment has become so much more sophisticated and we can do so much more for patients. For example, only recently we had a 90-year-old patient who was well enough to go back to the ward who I am certain wouldn't have survived when I started out as a nurse."
For many years, Mrs Baker, who lives in Prettygate, Colchester, has also been involved in work to prevent pressure sores.
Her mother, aunt and grandmother had all been nurses, and she always knew that nursing was the career for her. Her daughter, Louise, has followed in her footsteps and is a Sister in the intensive care unit at The Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel.
Mrs Baker originally joined Essex County Hospital in 1966 as a nursing cadet and took a career break for seven years to have her children. She and her husband, Geoff, also have a son, Andrew, a company manager in Colchester, and three grandchildren, aged 2, 16 and 19.
During her time at Essex County Hospital, Mrs Baker, who was born nearby in the old maternity home in Lexden Road, worked in the accident & emergency department and with paediatric, surgical, medical, gynaecology and cancer patients.
Anne Morris, Anaesthetic and Technical Services Manager and a colleague for more than 30 years, paid tribute to Mrs Baker.
"Sister Baker has always ensured that her patients are her priority and has been the first to identify how service improvements can be made," she said.
"Her decision to retire, while respected by all of us, is a very sad day. She will be missed by all her colleagues."
Although about to retire, Mrs Baker intends to maintain her involvement as a link nurse co-ordinator and committee member with the British Association of Critical Care Nurses. In the past, she has organised networking events and helped to arrange study days for the whole Anglia region.
Mrs Baker, who is holding a birthday party on Saturday, plans to devote some of her new-found free time to her life-long hobby of playing the piano, art and travelling.
Caption: Marian Baker is pictured last week and at Colchester General Hospital shortly after the hospital opened in 1984.
8 March 2010
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