What does your job involve?
I work with an amazing team in elderly medicine, we specialise in providing quality care for patients who are acutely unwell that belong to an advanced age group, who live with multiple co-morbidities and dementia.
As a deputy charge nurse, I lead the nursing team to maintain care for our patients, and also ensuring continuity of care by liaising with the multi-disciplinary team, discharge, and social services. We also play an active role in supporting loved ones of our patients.
What does a usual day look like?
I wake up early in the morning to catch my bus, I don’t live that far from the hospital, and I like going to work on time. We start our shift with a safety huddle and discuss patient management with other members of the team. The rest of the day runs quickly when you work in a busy ward. I support colleagues to make sure our patients are safe and provided with the care they need, lead discharges by liaising with the discharge team and community services, and at the same time updating family members for any queries. Its always very busy!
What’s the best part of your job?
When you encounter an unwell elderly patient who is very delirious and poorly at the beginning of hospital stay, it is rewarding to be a witness and be a part of that journey of healing and progress towards their baseline.
Also, having a supportive network and a culture of teamwork in the workplace will come a long way. Going through the pandemic and staff shortages, I am proud on how resilient and optimistic our team is when faced with these challenges.
What would you say to someone thinking of a career in nursing?
Nursing is both a challenging and rewarding career. If you are passionate in helping other people and be knowledgeable on how illness and the body works, then this profession will suit you.
I always value continuous learning and on the first time I encounter patients who are living with dementia. I challenge myself in understanding how the brain works, especially when it’s deteriorating due to old age or infection and why people are displaying unfamiliar behaviors. Being an agent of change and contributing to patients’ healing is a daily success that makes this career worth it.
