Florentina Tutuianu, an NHS Nurse in the UK Building a Community for Healthcare

After more than a decade as an NHS nurse in the UK, Florentina Tutuianu is helping to build the kind of professional community she wishes she had found at the beginning of her journey.

“I want every colleague entering the British healthcare system to know that they do not have to navigate this journey alone.”

Finding her way in the NHS

My name is Florentina Tutuianu, and I have worked as an NHS nurse in the UK for more than ten years. I am a mother of two, Romanian at heart, and I strongly believe that each of us can make a difference wherever life takes us.

I came to the UK with the same emotions experienced by many people who choose to build a future away from home. The beginning was not easy. I had to adapt to a new healthcare system, a new language and a different culture. There were times when I felt I had to learn everything on my own, step by step, without always knowing who to turn to for advice.

Looking back, I realise how valuable it would have been to have a professional community around me. A place where I could ask questions, receive guidance and learn from people who had already faced similar challenges. I did not have that support at the time. Perhaps that absence eventually became one of my strongest motivations.

From hospital care to prevention and volunteering

Today, I work in prevention and health promotion within the NHS, and this direction has changed the way I see my profession. For me, the role of a nurse does not end at the hospital door. It continues in the community, in conversations with people, through health education and prevention, and in the way we encourage others to take better care of their health.

Alongside my NHS work, I have developed my knowledge and practice in Health & Wellbeing Coaching, Lifestyle Medicine and complementary therapies.

Over the past few years, I have also been involved in a wide range of volunteering activities. I have organised and supported health education programmes, community events, initiatives for women and families, prevention campaigns and projects designed to help people understand how everyday choices can affect their health. I have volunteered with refugee women and with people diagnosed with cancer, offering support through therapeutic massage.

I have also been involved in health fairs and community health initiatives, working alongside local organisations and public health professionals to bring health information and prevention closer to people.

Volunteering has given me some of the most meaningful experiences of my life. It has taught me that sometimes a piece of advice, an honest conversation or simply taking a few minutes to truly listen to someone can have a greater impact than we realise. When we give our time without expecting anything in return, we help build stronger and more connected communities.

Recognition for health and wellbeing advocacy

My work in prevention and wellbeing was also recognised with the Health & Wellness Advocacy Award at the Prestige Awards.

For me, this recognition means more than a trophy. It reflects years of work, health education projects and my belief in bringing prevention closer to people before health problems become more serious.

Working on the frontline has shown me how often people arrive in hospital with health problems associated with factors such as smoking, chronic stress, poor sleep, physical inactivity, obesity and hypertension. These experiences strengthened my interest in Lifestyle Medicine, prevention and emotional wellbeing, and encouraged me to develop projects that support people before they become seriously unwell.

Building a professional community

This same desire to contribute led to my involvement with the Romanian Nurses and Healthcare Professionals Association UK, where I have the honour of serving as Director.

For me, the association responds to a need I felt personally for almost ten years.

I want every colleague entering the British healthcare system to know that they do not have to navigate this journey alone.

I want us to build a space where healthcare professionals can connect, support one another and grow together. A place where the experience of those who have worked in the NHS for many years can become a source of guidance for those at the beginning of their careers. A place where we can share information, professional development opportunities and projects that benefit the wider community.

Across the UK, nurses, midwives, nursing associates, nursing students and healthcare professionals bring different experiences, skills and perspectives to their work. Everyone has a story and something valuable to contribute. I believe we become stronger when we choose to collaborate.

My hope is for the Romanian Nurses and Healthcare Professionals Association UK to develop into a strong and welcoming professional community where people feel they belong, where they are listened to and where they have opportunities to contribute.

I want us to build a professional network based on respect, collaboration and a genuine desire to support one another.

An invitation to healthcare professionals in the UK

This is why I am sharing my story.

If you are a nurse, midwife, nursing associate, nursing student or work in any area of healthcare in the UK, I would be delighted to connect.

I would like us to get to know one another, share experiences, develop projects and create opportunities to contribute to the communities we serve.

The future is not built alone. It is built together.

And if, a few years from now, someone newly arrived in the UK can say that they found guidance, professional support and a community when they needed it, I will know that all this work has had a real purpose.