Congratulations go to sexual health nurse adviser Elaine MacKinnon who retired in August after 38 years’ service.
Elaine, who worked with the sexual health service at Coathill Hospital, began her career as a midwife, working between William Smillie and Bellshill maternity hospital. After many years, Elaine joined the family planning team were she worked in various clinics across Lanarkshire, including Kilsyth, Blantyre, Hamilton and Motherwell.
In 2007, following the integration of family planning with genito-urinary medicine, Elaine accelerated her nursing skills and became an experienced nurse, enabling her to share her knowledge with more junior staff. Elaine also became a mentor to many, helping many nurses both pre and post registration.
Elaine lives with her husband Malcolm in Motherwell and has three grown-up children Fiona, Lindsey and Iain. She is mother-in-law to Gordon and Morgan and dotes on her grandson Murray.
In her spare time, Elaine enjoys spending as much time as possible with Murray, who lives in Aberdeen. She is looking forward to making good use of her newly acquired bus pass to embark on coach trips. Elaine also enjoys knitting baby blankets, her walks with Dougall, her Westie dog, and all her dog walking friends she chats to along the way.
Karen Stewart, sexual health team leader, said: “I’ve had the privilege to work with Elaine for last 19 years. She is a fabulous, caring nurse who always gives her patients the best person-centred care possible. We have laughed and cried together and I don’t have a colleague, I have a friend for life. I would describe Elaine as ‘unique’ and a credit to our nursing profession.”
