Nurse Kim Payne’s career journey has been truly unique. Due to her skills and dedication, she rapidly progressed her career in care and is now the Home Manager of Exemplar Health Care’s Greenside Court.
Below Kim explains how she helped secure the home’s first ‘Outstanding’ CQC rating. She also talks about how she navigated the transition from newly qualified nurse to home manager of an Outstanding-rated care home, and how upskilling was essential to succeed.
How it started
At the time that I graduated as a qualified nurse from Sheffield University in 2006, it was hard to find a job in the NHS. I knew that I wanted to use my degree and help people, so I explored other options besides the typical NHS nurse route. This led me to research the care industry and I was able to get my first nursing role at Greenside Court, one of Exemplar Health Care’s care homes, supporting people with neuro-disabilities, mental health conditions, brain injury and stroke.
After working at the care home for a couple of years and going to extraordinary lengths to ensure that our residents were happy and felt supported, I was promoted to Unit Manager where I led a team of other nurses and support workers.
From day one, I knew I wanted to be a nurse within a care setting. As a newly qualified nurse, this wasn’t something that I had initially considered. When I first visited the care home (Greenside Court), I was really wowed by what Exemplar Health Care does. I could see how fulfilling the work would be and how my knowledge and skillset would be beneficial for the job.
As a nurse, you are trained to view a patient as a whole, focusing on their mental, medical and physical wellbeing. This is exactly what we do at Exemplar Health Care – people’s needs and goals are always at the heart of all we do.
Shifting gears
When I had my daughter, I took a brief respite from my role at Exemplar Health Care to spend more time with her. I also pursued other career opportunities within care that eventually prepared me for my future role as Home Manager.
I returned to Greenside Court as a Home Manager which was very different to my initial start at the company. I had more responsibility for managing a team and ensure the safe running of the home, but the role still held so many of the values that made me want to be a nurse at the start of my career.
It helped that I was so familiar with the care home, the staff, and residents. Coming back to Greenside Court really felt like coming home. It’s such a wonderful place filled with people who strive to provide the very best care and to make Greenside Court a home for all who live there.
As Home Manager I lead a team of 80 care professionals, who have worked so hard to provide outstanding care to our residents – it was no surprise when the ‘Outstanding’ rating came following the CQC’s inspection.
Creating a home
The people I work with are so hard working and dedicated – it tells you a lot when a home has colleagues that still work there 15 years later. Our home is “Outstanding” because our team works very hard to ensure we deliver a high-quality level of care at all times – our residents always come first.
I’m so grateful that I have been able to start and continue my career at Greenside Court. Progressing over the years felt natural because of how Exemplar Health Care views care. Whether you’re a nurse, a support worker, or a home manager you come into work each day to support people to have the best quality of life and make the home a place that everyone wants to be in. I believe that at Greenside Court we have done just that.
Exemplar Health Care has 32 homes across England that provide person-centered care and rehabilitation. The specialist nursing care provider is recruiting for several roles across its homes. Visit the careers section of the website to find out more: www.exemplarhc.com/careers/job-search
