July 7, 2017 11.48 am This story is over 80 months old

‘An immense privilege to serve’: Nurse calls time on 35 year career caring for patients

A nurse has retired from Scunthorpe Hospital after more than 35 years caring for local patients. Maureen Georgiou, associate chief operating officer for surgery and critical care, trained as a student nurse in 1981 and has spent her career working across Scunthorpe, Grimsby and Goole hospitals. She is calling time on her career at the…
Maureen Georgiou has retired after clocking up 35 years

A nurse has retired from Scunthorpe Hospital after more than 35 years caring for local patients.

Maureen Georgiou, associate chief operating officer for surgery and critical care, trained as a student nurse in 1981 and has spent her career working across Scunthorpe, Grimsby and Goole hospitals.

She is calling time on her career at the hospitals and is heading for pastures new at Scunthorpe’s Lindsey Lodge Hospice where she will take on the role of director of nursing and patient services/deputy chief executive.

Maureen, who is married with four children and two grandchildren, said: “Right from being a small child all I ever dreamed about was becoming a nurse.

“I was ecstatic to be selected for training and I still have fond memories of my student days in Scunthorpe hospital’s Butterwick House where we lived in. I still smile to myself when I go to meetings there.”

She became a staff nurse on the former ward 11 after qualifying in 1984 which specialised in head and neck for both adults and children.

Maureen quickly climbed the ranks to sister/ward manager and managed a range of surgical specialties between 1989 and 2001.

When Scunthorpe and Goole hospitals merged with Grimsby Hospital in 2001, Maureen took on a new position as assistant divisional manager for surgical services and head of nursing for surgery.

In 2016 Maureen was asked to undertake a secondment to the associate chief operating officer for surgery and critical care.

She said: “My career had come full circle; I was back in surgery where my career started.

“Even though my NHS career is coming to an end I am certainly not going to be a lady of leisure.

“It has been an immense pleasure and privilege to serve the trust and its population. There have been good times and difficult periods, but my resolve has always been to do my best.

“I want to say a heartfelt thanks to all staff, past and present, it has been a pleasure working with them over the years.”