Twins follow same caring route

Twin sisters Anna and Nicola Irish have always followed the same path - they worked as care assistants in the same nursing home, then together in a private hospital before choosing the same Access Course followed by enrolling on nursing courses here.

This year the twins, aged 25 from Fairfield, Stockton, graduated on the same day from the University. They now work as staff nurses in the Intensive Care Unit (ITU) at the University Hospital of North Tees in Stockton.

Anna, the older of the twins by one minute, achieved an Advanced Diploma in Nursing. She said: ‘We’ve done everything together through life, we don’t know anything else. We both got stressed at times on the courses, but supported each other.

‘Nicola started in ITU first, while I worked in women’s health. Then I saw the vacancies in ITU, one in Hartlepool and one in Stockton. I was surprised to get the Stockton post as I thought they might not want us to work together! We’ve only been on one shift together and work as professional nurses.’ Nursing studies Nicola graduated with a Diploma in Nursing Studies. She said: ‘We’ve always been best friends and are very similar, although people might have said I was the louder one when we were growing up! We both have caring natures, nursing is such a rewarding career and I can’t imagine doing anything else.

‘There’s such a lot of satisfaction, building a rapport with the patients and their families. I’m used to being with Anna all the time, although things will change next year when I have my first baby.’

The twins have followed older sister Rachel into nursing. Rachel, 27, from Hartburn, graduated from Teesside three years ago and works at North Tees’ Orthopaedic Trauma Unit.

Mum Tricia said: ‘I’m so proud of all of them. It’s amazing the girls graduated on the same day, my mum and husband came long to watch as well.”’

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