It is a situation all too familiar for many nurses, menopause symptoms becoming so overwhelming they make continuing to work a challenge.

When Wendy Madden, nurse lead for menopause at University Hospitals Birmingham, began experiencing menopause symptoms they almost forced her to quit the job she loved.

The fatigue, being unable to sleep, hot flushes and anxiety shattered her confidence at work.

‘It started making me lose my confidence, I didn’t feel I was able to do my job as effectively as I was before. I came into work one day and looked at the building I worked in and thought “I don’t want to be here”,’ she said.

In this episode of the Nursing Standard podcast Ms Madden tells news editor Andrea Downey about her experience of the menopause and how it led her to helping others.

Ms Madden’s experience highlighted a lack of support for staff going through the menopause and spurred an idea for a ‘menopause passport’ to make conversations with managers easier.

For more episodes of the Nursing Standard podcast, visit rcni.com/podcast

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