#NewProfilePic for March 2025
01 March 2025 - Every month, a different member of staff features as our #NewProfilePic on social media.
Our staff profile for March 2025 features Hannah Simmons, Lead Nurse for Heart Failure and Arrhythmia at King’s College Hospital. In total, Hannah’s been a qualified nurse for 20 years, and she has spent 10 of them with Team King’s.
Hannah said: “When working as the first @home Matron within King’s acute medicine, I was struck by the kindness and openness of staff and patients and the approach to patient care.
“Now working within cardiology, I believe we strive to provide outstanding care from a world class cardiac department, and I am proud to be part of the innovative service here at King’s. We serve a diverse population, and it is wonderful to be able to meet patients’ needs and celebrate their uniqueness whilst showing compassion and kindness.”
What inspired you to become a specialist nurse in heart failure?
“From the days of being a student nurse (which feels like a long time ago) in a Coronary Care Unit I knew that working in Cardiology was my calling. I have been lucky enough to be mentored by some fantastically skilled nurses, who have role modelled the unique value of specialist nursing within a patients’ health journey.”
What does a typical day look like for you in the heart failure nurse service?
“No two days are the same! As heart failure nurses, our focus is to support and educate patients and staff on caring for people living with heart failure. We work collaboratively with various teams to treat patients in the hospital, out-patients and ambulatory care unit. We strive to deliver the best heart failure care, implementing evidenced based research, innovative projects and new technologies for the patients we treat.”
What do you love most about your role within the heart failure team?
“Heart failure significantly impacts people’s lives, affecting their ability to work, finances, relationships and long-term health needs. Building rapport and conveying knowledge encourages shared decision making; empowering patients to manage their own aspects of care, so enabling them to live full and active lives. As heart failure specialist nurses, we are key to educating the need for early detection, ensuring appropriate treatment is adhered to and supporting patients in their long-term health journey.”
What are the key risk factors for heart failure, and how can individuals reduce their risk?
“Coronary artery disease remains the biggest risk factor for developing heart failure. Lifestyle changes such as stopping smoking, losing weight, regular activity, reducing salt in-take and managing stress can all help in reducing cardiovascular risks such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Early detection of heart failure is key to improving outcomes! Think of the F word: Fighting for breath, Fatigue, Fluid build-up, could this be Heart Failure?”