A nurse from the Isle of Man said she has “no plans to retire” despite recently celebrating her 80th birthday.
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| Celia Mcllvenny has been nursing for 64 years |
Celia Mcllvenny, a health care assistant from Douglas, is the oldest member of staff at Noble’s Hospital.
Welsh-born Celia began a career in the healthcare profession on her 16th birthday after moving to the island.
She said: “It has never even crossed my mind to give up nursing – I love the work and that is what keeps me going.”
Many changes
“I love looking after patients – caring for them and doing everything I can for them. I wanted to become a nurse when I was a little girl and I started work on the very day I became 16,” she said.
“I never thought of doing anything else, even when I had a family I continued to work evenings so I could fit it in around the children.”
With a career spanning 64 years, Mrs Mcllvenny has seen many changes within her profession.
“When I first started the mattresses were virtually on the floor and there were no pumps to bring the beds up and help your back,” she said.
“Physically it was incredibly demanding. There are different challenges now, there’s a lot more paperwork involved – in my day the sister would do all that at the end of the shift but now the nurses need to do it throughout the day.”
TT races
“I would say it is the most satisfying job you can do. You are working with people who need you, you are not sitting in an office or a shop, you are watching people get better and that gives me the greatest satisfaction you can imagine,” she added.
Three years ago Mrs Mcllvenny’s son was killed during a TT race. She said her work and the people she met through it helped her enormously.
“I lost my son in the TT races three years ago and when I found out, I called work to let them know. The next thing I remember, my kitchen was full of people,” she said.
“Working with patients helps me get some perspective on my tragedy, there are people out there who are dealing with very difficult situations and it helps me to help them – I hope to continue as long as the good Lord lets me.”
