Nurse Deniza conducts research in the best interests of the patient
Keywords:The Ear, Nose and Throat Day Surgery Unit encourages people to become involved in something new. Deniza Salihi, who originally came to complete an internship, got excited about the fascinating specialty and the decision to stay involved was made – at the moment she enjoys research alongside her work as a nurse.
Deniza Salihi has always been interested in nursing. She graduated as a nurse in 2016 and ended up at the Ear, Nose and Throat Day Surgery Unit of the Surgical Hospital through an internship.
“Ear, nose and throat diseases are a fascinating specialty. It came as a surprise to me how many different diseases can be treated in such a small field,” Salihi says.
During her internship, she liked the work community and the motivating atmosphere.
“Our unit is an ideal place for a newly graduated nurse to keep on learning. Here we encourage people to develop and to get involved with new things.” I have also had the opportunity to try working at the outpatient clinic and inpatient ward,” Salihi says.
Better treatment through research
When she joined the Day Surgery Unit, Salihi was put in charge of Helsinki Biobank, which was being introduced at the Head and Neck Center. This sparked her enthusiasm for research. Salihi completed the research nurse training in 2019.
“It’s great that my supervisors support my research work, and I can do it alongside my work in day surgery. Working in the Day Surgery Unit has helped in the research work. In addition, thanks to my work as a research nurse, I have plenty of knowledge about ear, nose and throat diseases. This is a great help in patient work,” Salihi says.
Salihi has been involved in three different laryngeal studies and two coronavirus studies. The largest study is a nasal polyp study that has been under work for years.
“We are conducting important research for the future so that patients can be provided even better treatment in the future. It is rewarding to follow the progress of research. I can’t wait to see what the results of the nasal polyp examination will reveal,” Salihi says.
People are interested in the digitalization of nursing
Salihi is particularly interested in the digital side of nursing and nursing science, and she plans to study the topics in the future. Currently, she is involved in promoting the digital care pathway for tonsil patients at the Head and Neck Center, and piloting for the pathway has already begun.
“This is completely new to me. It’s great that I’ve been able to participate in developing a digital pathway that is useful for patients,” Salihi rejoices.