Our Seacole family is made up of an incredible community of healthcare professionals, with a combined experience of over 50 years in healthcare and clinical research. We pride ourselves on being family-focused with flexible opportunities built around our team members, so we wanted to take this opportunity to shine a light on two of our Seacole heroes, Candice Darnell and Rohini Akosa.
Hi Candice! Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you came to be a Seacole Recruitment Coordinator?
My nursing background is primarily oncology, but prior to joining Seacole I was nurse navigator for a stem cell transplant programme.
What does your role entail?
This is not an easy one to answer as no two days are the same! Currently I work closely with our clinical managers to determine areas where we need HCPs (health care providers) and refer current Seacole contractors we have onboarded to those areas. If we don’t have a contractor for that area, it’s my job to find new candidates to fill the role.
I also coordinate and track all of our Seacole HCP’s onboarding documents, training, and licensures. I make sure all our Seacole HCP’s licensures and certificates are up to date and collect new ones as they come close to expiration. I track, verify, and bill all Seacole’s HCP timesheets and invoices. For our agency invoices I help verify the hours and clear these for payment with finance. I also make sure we have the required training and documents for those agency nurses.
Another part of my remit is to complete all work orders for every study we perform with mobile health for each nursing agency. To do this, I maintain HCP training tracking for all HCPs working with mobile health.
There’s so much more but these are the main tasks!
What makes Seacole different?
It’s Seacole’s mission to make sure HCPs are appreciated and valued. You are definitely NOT just a number here, which I really love.
We know a lot of nurses in today’s workforce are feeling unappreciated and commoditized which is the total opposite of my experience here. Working at Seacole feels like being part of a family, and people matter to us as individuals. It’s refreshing to work somewhere that values experience and loyalty, whilst also understanding that people have family and other commitments that might sometimes take precedence over work – and that’s fine!
With my nursing background, I know that Seacole is a truly unique place to work. There’s no minimum hour commitment, so being able to work around your scheduling needs is such a bonus. We also do not have a non-compete in our contract, we just ask that whatever team members work on remains private to us. Our rates are very competitive too, which is even better!
What do you love about your role?
I think that Seacole is fantastic. I genuinely love getting to know our nurses and other HCPs. I especially like the fact that you will always speak to a person, there’s no automations.
I feel like everything we’ve accomplished since Seacole started up, we’ve achieved as a team. We support each other and supporting the HCPs whilst they do their work is my primary concern. It’s a wonderful place to work!
Rohini Akosa is a nurse and the Global Resourcing Manager at Seacole Health, and has been part of the team since May 2021.
Hi Rohini! What made you want to become a nurse?
My mom was definitely a huge influence on my decision to become a nurse. She became a nurse in her twenties and retired in her late sixties. I remember visiting her at work and marvelling at how calm she remained under enormous pressure, and at the same time delivered patient care with kindness and compassion.
I miss working on the wards and having one-to-one patient contact, but now I am motivated every day by the knowledge that I am contributing in some small way to the discovery of new treatments for diseases, which could make the lives of patients better.
How have you seen the role of nurses in clinical research patient services evolve over the years?
The last couple of years especially have shown us that clinical research is in a constant state of flux and advancement. The resulting care pathway has brought nurses closer to contributing to research directly, making our skillset and expertise even more valuable. Nurses are vital in contributing to best practice for study teams embarking on new modes of clinical research. We enhance the patient experience and champion patient-centricity by ensuring the changing needs of patients are met.
What do you think has been the biggest change or innovation in nursing over the past couple of years and how will this shape the future of healthcare?
The decentralization of clinical trials has not only been an immediate risk-mitigation tactic due to the pandemic – it has evolved into a highly effective, comprehensive approach which can be used to conduct clinical trials under any circumstances.
Decentralization has also enhanced the professional autonomy, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment of nurses. The changes we have made mean patients can be seen more conveniently, enabling continued participation in clinical trials regardless of their location or unexpected life events.
Are you ready to join the Seacole family? Start your journey today to a way of working that works for you, allowing you to care for patients and your own wellbeing
Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today to learn more about making a positive difference on your own terms.
Read more about the opportunities we have available in mobile health nursing and apply here.
