International Nurses Day: Q&A with Adiola Katandika, The London Clinic

International Nurses Day: Interview with Adiola Katandika,

What department do you work in, and can you describe your role?
I don’t cover a designated department, but I work across oncology, both medical and surgical. I meet patients at the point of their cancer diagnosis. We take them over at that stage, manage their expectations, explain the treatment pathway and explore it with them from both our side and theirs.

At this point, we also share our expectations with them. Head and neck cancers involve a very delicate area and if you think about it, everything we use for key life skills – eating, drinking, swallowing, speech, sight, thinking and social interaction – is in that area. Our heads and necks are also very visible areas, so body image issues can come up for our patients during, before or after treatment.

Some treatments are more challenging and major than others. For those, we try to signpost patients to our teams for Talking Therapies and Complementary Therapies, and our respective teams in Speech & Language, Dietetics, Radiography, Pain Management and Cancer pre-habilitation and rehabilitation. We provide personalised care that’s realistic and practical for their specific condition and needs.

For some patients, there are sometimes very serious conversations that need to take place. For example, the preparation process for serious surgeries like a total laryngectomy, which is removal of the voice box. We check whether the patient understands the consequences and whether their expectations are realistic. Having the surgery may be a life-saving decision, but what will the quality of their life be like afterward? The balance between prolonging life and ensuring quality of life (QOL) is at the heart of ethical, patient-centred care. Especially for those with high-profile or public-facing roles where their voice is essential. We make sure they fully understand what they’re facing and what their functional outcomes might mean for their future.

For our international patients, they often come to us as a last resort so it’s important to address language barriers and ensure we clearly explain what’s expected and what the outcomes might be.

What inspired you to become a nurse, and how has your journey in healthcare shaped you?
I came to the UK to visit my sister. My country was going through economic changes, so I thought, “I’m here, and this is an opportunity.” I applied for a nursing degree and basically just fell into it! It felt like the natural thing to do at the time.

Growing up, my dad was a radiographer at a tuberculosis hospital, and my mum used to visit patients as a vocational role and sometimes took us along. Nursing wasn’t a strange territory—caring for people was something I was naturally drawn to.

I did a three-year programme at Kingston Hospital and St George’s Hospital. The lecturers and mentors were so supportive. Clinical practice here was different to what I expected compared to nursing in my home country. Communication differences based on cultural experiences can indeed pose challenges for international nurses transitioning into a new healthcare environment. Eye contact and hierarchical norms were amongst some I had to overcome. Communication was different too – we didn’t grow up looking people in the eye! But the environment was friendly, and having my sister here made the transition easier.

After qualifying as a Band 5 nurse, my first job was on the ENT and maxillofacial ward. On that ward I saw everything from nosebleeds to cancer resections.

One of the big learnings for me at that time was how to stand my ground and set boundaries. My upbringing was that I was always told to be polite to everyone. While I was still very new, there are some tasks I completed that probably weren’t right for my skill or confidence levels. Those situations taught me to be honest with myself about my capabilities, and not just say yes to something out of politeness. I learned to assert myself appropriately, voice concerns, and take an active role in decision-making. That shift required confidence, cultural adjustment, and strong communication skills.

Since then, I’ve completed a diploma in cancer care, followed by a degree in cancer care, and then a master’s pathway in advanced cancer practice. The path hasn’t been smooth, and I didn’t always know exactly what I wanted, but I followed what interested me and it all came together in the end.

I’ve been at The London Clinic since October 2022.

In what ways have you seen the role of nurses evolve over the years?
It’s changed a lot. The key words are autonomy and growth. When I started nursing, it wasn’t common for nurses to be included in big decisions. Now we’re being invited to the table. We’re not just working in the background anymore.

There are still reservations in some places about nurses having this involvement in decision-making, but I now lead services and contribute to service redesign. There are so many opportunities to network, grow and develop. It’s refreshing to see nurses understanding system processes and eventually sitting at the table with senior colleagues from Finance or Operations to redesign services. We need more opportunities like that – even if we’re just listening, it’s important to have a seat.

What is the most rewarding part of being a nurse, and why?
I look after patients when they are at their most vulnerable – it’s one of the most humbling things I could experience. It gives me job satisfaction. You’re helping someone you might never have interacted with otherwise, and they share their world with you. That’s a privilege.

Being an oncology nurse is deeply rewarding. I have the privilege of supporting patients at their most vulnerable—discussing treatment plans, celebrating milestones, and, when needed, guiding end-of-life conversations with compassion. My role goes beyond clinical care; it’s about providing emotional support, facilitating informed choices, and ensuring dignity and quality of life at every stage of the cancer journey.

I often talk with patients about palliative care or how to approach the situation with their children. It helps me put my own problems into perspective. It’s incredibly rewarding to advocate for people in such a vulnerable group.

How can we encourage more young people to consider a career in nursing?
We don’t showcase nursing as a rewarding profession early enough. Starting from schools, we need to shift the mindset, especially during work experience placements.

Pay is another issue. It’s not a massively lucrative role at an early stage, so you have to have your heart in it. We’re seeing changes with that, but I think there’s still work to do there. Work-life balance also plays a role. International nurses often live three lives – one at work, one at home, and one abroad.

We need to be more visible. Nursing isn’t just about working on the wards. There are nurse managers, consultants, and leadership roles. If the only “nurse” young people know is on the wards, we’re not showing the full range of opportunities nursing offers.

What role do nurses play in improving patient care and outcomes beyond medical procedures?
We focus on patient experience. Yes, as a hospital we aim to cure, but what happens once the patient is in our care? Are we respecting their dignity, meeting their expectations, and communicating properly?

We evaluate services constantly. Is the food suitable for the patient? Are we communicating clearly about lab results, like when thyroid blood samples need to be sent to external labs? Are those processes robust? How do we work efficiently and identify areas for improvement? I support improved patient outcomes by evaluating and enhancing service delivery. This includes ensuring facilities and diets meet patient needs, such as providing low-iodine options for thyroid patients. I also help strengthen cross-departmental coordination and develop effective system flows with staff and external partners, promoting safe, efficient, and patient-centred care.

I hope this continues to evolve. Who knows what we’ll see in terms of the involvement from nurses in data analysis, clinical trials, AI and other opportunities.

What advice would you give to a nurse just starting their career in healthcare?
You must be genuinely interested in the job – your heart has to be in it! My husband works in IT and when his day ends, he closes his laptop and goes home. In nursing, you have to make sure your patient is safe and cared for, handed over to the next team before going home.

My advice for those in the early years of their career would be to learn the basics and absorb as much as you can. Those foundational years are when you build your skills and decide your next steps, whether to go into management or stay clinical.

Many young people want to be a chief nurse as soon as possible, but that role takes years of experience and mastering the basics. Don’t rush.

“Mastery is born of knowledge, shaped by skill, sustained by resilience, driven by passion and softened by compassion. It demands the wisdom to recognise and seize opportunities. True mastery unfolds with time and there is no shortness to greatness.”

Take your time, mature into the role, and let your path develop naturally. It’s taken me 24 years to get here!