A nurse who was one of only two men on his training course is finally hanging up his uniform after almost half a century caring for patients across Kent.

Keith Kolsteren, has worked at Buckland Hospital in Dover, the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, and the Kent and Canterbury Hospital during his career.

The 64-year-old said he had originally planned on a career in banking, but a family friend who was a nursing tutor persuaded him to apply for a nursing course – an unusual choice for a man in the 1970s.

Only one other man was in his class when he joined the profession in 1977.

But over his 46-year-long career with the NHS, the grandfather says he has witnessed huge changes in medical practices and attitudes.

“A broken leg could mean being in hospital for 12 weeks in traction [strapped to weights to straighten bones] – then another four weeks after that learning to mobilise before they were discharged,” he recalled.

“Now we put a nail in their femur and they are up and about the following day.

“People having hip or knee replacements would routinely be in for three weeks, and on bedrest for the first week – now they can go home after two or three days.

“We used to have paper records, now computers and handheld devices are the norm.”

Mr Kolsteren also saw a big change in patients’ feelings, with some wary about being treated by a male nurse when he first started.

“Things are different now but to begin with some patients were apprehensive about having a male nurse caring for them – and some men had the same feelings about female nurses,” he added.

“I do remember one patient who was adamant she didn’t want me to tend to her needs, but one day there was no female nurse available and she allowed me to give her some assistance, which I did in a very respectful way as I always would and it did allay her fears.”

Mr Kolsteren, who lives near Canterbury, started his nursing career as a cadet at Joyce Green Hospital in Dartford, before moving to Folkestone as a student nurse.

He later worked sometimes gruelling shift patterns at old Buckland Hospital in Dover, where he would use transport at 6am provided by the hospital to get to work.

"It was tough if you had a late shift the day before, as you would have to wait for the transport and often didn't get back until 10pm - making the early morning the next day even more difficult,” he remembered.

The veteran nurse worked not only in a variety of hospitals but also in a variety of specialisms, including surgery, the emergency department and orthopaedics.

But after progressing his career on the wards, Keith decided it was time for a change and switched to become a transfusion practitioner.

In this role he provided education and training for all those involved in transfusion, acting as a link between the pathology department who supply donated blood components and products for transfusion, and the wards who care for the patient receiving it.

He said: “I wanted a change and it was certainly a big change. I realised how little I, and others, knew about transfusion. I have enjoyed being able to help educate people and support them to develop their knowledge and understanding.”

Mr Kolsteren will remain involved with the NHS as a committee member of his local branch of the NHS Retirement Fellowship.

But in his well-earned retirement he also plans to spend more time on his hobbies of baking, family history and photography, as well as enjoying the company of his family and friends, including his grandchildren.