Dave Nebres is a senior scrub nurse in the Churchill Theatres. As such his work is unseen by most patients and yet to me, he sets the standard for compassionate excellence and is frequently an example and inspiration to me and many others. I am a consultant anesthetist in the trust, and I've worked with him for several years, so I could tell any number of stories, but will just tell one from this week.
After a very busy week in theatre, with some really exceptionally difficult cases, I found myself once again working with Dave in the emergency theatre late one weekday evening. We were finishing a major case that had gone well. I'd left my colleague there so that I could review a patient in the intensive care unit and was suddenly asked to attend another patient with breathing difficulties as an emergency. It was necessary to anesthetize and operate immediately to save the patient's life, but the emergency theatre was busy.
Dave appeared by my side and asked what we needed. We needed a second theatre open and ready to operate within 10 minutes maximum. Without hesitation and with total competence, Dave had set up an empty theatre and was ready within the time frame. We got to the theatre and were able to do what was necessary to restore the patient's breathing and operate.
What is outstanding about Dave is not only that he is highly competent and expert in the very difficult field of emergency operating, but that he is 100% reliable, uncomplaining, unselfish, humble, cheerful in his work, dedicated to the highest standards of patient care, and prepared to go beyond expectations to fulfil what is needed.
Because of his character, I was able to ask for what was needed and be completely confident it would happen. The effect for fellow staff is a team that performs at its best, and the confidence I and my colleagues can have in the ability of theatres to rise to even the toughest of situations. Dave makes me feel proud of the care given in the Churchill theatres.