NHS Heroes: Nurse who takes the care ethic to heart

The dedicated nurse looks after people who have had heart attacks, infections affecting the heart and high blood pressure, working hard to keep them out of hospital.

Now her hard work is being recognised. Ms Merrick, who covers three-quarters of East Yorkshire by herself as a heart failure specialist, is a finalist in the Yorkshire Post NHS Health and Social Care Hero of the Year Award 2010.

Patient Jack Terry, 68, of Leven, near Beverley, said: "She said if my condition worsens at the weekend I must give her a ring. A couple of times recently I have not been well but she's kept me out of hospital.

"I have felt under the weather quite a lot, but she gave me some different medication and it worked a treat. It saved everybody's time.

"Christine has become a friend. Not on a social level, but we have a good rapport and that makes it better for me. You are at home and in your own environment."

She regularly visits him at home to assess his heart condition and change his medication if necessary, and always puts her patients first.

She said: "If I ring Jack up on a Saturday, we need to know everything is OK. It's five minutes of my time but affects 24 hours of his time – in one phone call. So I give him a quick call, ask him how he's doing and give him some advice. I get a satisfaction out of my job. If you believe in something you do it well - and I do get a real reward."

She went on: "There are a lot of Jacks out there and I stop a lot of patients going to hospital by changing the tablets. You're a guest in these people's houses and we have got to build up a rapport. I don't want them to go to hospital and they don't. It's a real buzz when patients say to me that changing their medication has worked and they feel well today."

Ms Merrick has also set up a support group, where a specialist talks about heart conditions and patients can share their thoughts with others.

"Where she finds the time for this I just don't know," Mr Terry said. "All the patients and family who attend find this so supportive and interesting and they all think as highly of Christine as I do."

FIVE CHOSEN FROM READER NOMINEES

The Yorkshire Post has teamed up with the NHS to find this year's NHS Hero.

Readers nominated scores of people who they felt had gone above and beyond the call of duty. Five finalists have now been chosen and they will be featured every day this week for you to vote for the person you believe deserves to be named Yorkshire Post NHS Hero 2010.

Voting by post, phone, text or online opens on Friday. Voting closes at midnight on Wednesday, October 6. The winner will be announced at the NHS Health and Social Care Awards on October 7.

More details and voting form