World HMV Day – Ellen Groves

What is your name and where do you work?

My name is Ellen Groves, and I work as a Nurse Specialist within the North East Assisted Ventilation Service (NEAVS).

What is your professional background?
I am a Registered Nurse and previously worked as an Intensive Care Nurse before joining NEAVS.

How long have you worked with HMV users?
I have worked within NEAVS for the past three years. Prior to this, I cared for patients using home ventilation who were admitted to ICU for around four years.

How did you come to specialise/work in this area?
Through caring for ventilated patients while working in ICU, I gained exposure to home ventilation and developed a strong interest in this specialist area.

What is your role in supporting HMV users and how can you help them?
As a Nurse Specialist, I help set up new patients referred to the service and provide ongoing follow‑up and support for patients in the community who may need additional help.

What do you enjoy most about your job?
The variety of patients we support and the opportunity to carry out home visits.

What is the worst part of your job?
The constant administrative work.

What are the biggest challenges you face?
Managing patient and family expectations of the service, which can sometimes be difficult due to the large geographical area we cover and the size of the team.

Why should other healthcare professionals consider a career specialising in HMV?
Because no two patients are the same—there is always a need to think, adapt, and problem‑solve.

What do you know now that you wish you’d known 10 years ago?
I wasn’t a qualified nurse ten years ago, but I wish I had known just how rewarding a career in nursing would be.

What is your top tip?
Always overpack for home visits—you never know what you might need, especially when you’re two hours away from the office.

What would be your desert island luxury?
Face wash and a toothbrush.