No substitute for experience
Date of news/blog: 20th May 2026With a nursing career spanning many decades, Geraldine Everett jokes she may now be considered a dinosaur but as far as everyone at Bramshott Grange is concerned, there’s no substitute for experience.
Geraldine began her journey into nursing in her native Ireland as a 17-year-old. After qualifying, she worked across a number of settings in the country before crossing to the other side of the world to work in Australia for a few years.
After returning to Ireland, Geraldine chose to specialise in psychiatric nursing in the late 1980s. Once qualified, she worked across agency roles and hospitals in the London area, building strong clinical skills and confidence in a variety of healthcare environments.
Alongside her career, Geraldine raised four children, carefully balancing work and family life. During this time, she worked at Basingstoke Hospital and in several nursing homes across Hampshire, continuing to provide nursing care while supporting her growing family.
Geraldine later spent over ten years at a nursing home in Liphook and after being made redundant when that home was turned into a care home, she took a short break from nursing before realising how much she missed the profession.
Her return to care led her to Bramshott Grange.
“I was told to come and have a look around Bramshott Grange,” Geraldine recalls. “I went to look around and ended up having an interview the same day.”
What began as a visit soon became a new (and what will ultimately be the final) chapter in her career and Geraldine has now been part of the Bramshott Grange team for several years.
“I have seen a lot of changes during my career, mainly in relation to technology and doing lots more things on a computer so I am probably a bit of a dinosaur when it comes to that,” she jokes.
“But the time you get to spend with people hasn’t changed and I’ve always had a soft spot for the elderly and like working with them.”
As she heads towards retirement in a few more years, Geraldine works three nights a week, with the occasional extra shift on top. A typical shift can include everything from checking medication through to dealing with medical emergencies which arise.
“I still enjoy what I do and I like it at Bramshott Grange,” says Geraldine.
“It’s a very friendly, relaxed environment and all the residents are lovely. It’s just like one big family.”
In 2025, Geraldine’s outstanding contribution was formally recognised when she won the Excellence in Nursing Gold award category at the Dormy Awards. The award celebrates nurses who consistently go above and beyond in delivering exceptional care, and Geraldine’s dedication, professionalism and compassion made her a clear and deserving recipient.
She says: “I was surprised, humbled and privileged just to be nominated as we have so many good nurses in the organisation, but then to discover I had won was a very special moment.
“We were treated like royalty at the awards ceremony and it will be a day which always lives with me.”
Outside of work, Geraldine enjoys spending time with her husband and her first grandchild who she describes as the “highlight of my life.”