I was bored, so I came back - nursing at 80

"I was bored, so I came back".

Jimmy Cooper has worked in the health service for more than 50 years and is celebrating his 80th birthday.

After leaving full-time work aged 69, Jimmy remained on the nurse bank, a register of staff who can be called upon to cover shifts.

He is still enjoying life as a nurse in intensive care at Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital.

To mark his milestone birthday, BBC News NI spoke to Jimmy and his colleagues about what he brings to the team.

Asked what new nurses make of his years of experience, starting an era before much of the modern technology used in healthcare, he said: "They can't understand how we coped."

29 October 2023