Nursing means putting the patient first, wherever we are in the world

My international journey as a nurse began in April 1999 when I left the UK to work in the USA and it has continued for the past 20 years. Last year, I had the privilege of going on a teaching trip to Oulu in the remote north of Finland. This April, I continued my international nursing journey by making a return trip to Oulu 20 years to the day I left for the USA.

I started my career as a nursing student in London, working at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel as an emergency department nurse. At the time, many of my colleagues were looking at working abroad.

Many were heading off to Saudi Arabia or Australia and, while the draw of tax-free salaries or more money may have been a lure for some, for me it was a desire to explore a new way of living and working.

My journey began in the USA. On arrival in Phoenix, Arizona, in April 1999, I was met with a temperature more akin to a heatwave in the UK at around 30°C. By contrast, Oulu at the same time of year hit a high of just 4°C.