Tidbits from the healthcare industry
In this post i’m going to be talking about the things that I fell that are important for working within a heath care setting. These are things that I fell that are important to myself and might not be something that you agree with. so here I go……….
work-lfe balance
For some people I know they tend to spend alot of their own time volneering or working up to and above their alocated hours. I’m not saying volteering or working extra is a bad thing but I find is that you can start to fell like that you never leave the place and that it dose get draining.
I reccomend limiting the extra time that you spend at the place you work as you need to have a life to spend with family firends and just to rest up.
Learn to say NO to extra shifts.
I myself do not do two shifts in a row, I do this for many reasons but the major one is that I know if ive done my normal shift that day is a long tiring morning when you think about it you have been on your feet for seven hours straight, then that is not including your 10min break for morning tea then your 30min break for lunch. Then you have to do it all over again in the evening makes it a long day in it’s self that is a fifteen hour day in total.
The way I think about it is if i’m tired or in a diffent mind set I’m not going to give my all to the clients I look after. and this is where mistakes happen when you are not on the ball you are a risk to yourself and to the client and mind the paperwork that needs to be done if the SHTF.
Self care
Self care in the healthcare profession is so important as you are getting paid to give alot to people in there time of need, when you are putting your own fellings aside and giving it your all. I myself think this is such a huge thing as someone working in situations of times of anxiety or high stress you can leave you shift with no energy for the rest of your day or evening.
some things you could do to take time is simple as finding some where quiet and stear at the clouds, even getting one of those adlut colouring books and have a clolour theres a whole heap stuff online that you can try out for yourself. have a look at this site for more ideas of selfcare you can do. http://goo.gl/zSUdLu
Know your limits and ask for help.
In the past this may have gotten me in hot water and learn from my mistake if you are finding your self in a compromising postion with a client that can cause harm to yourself or the person you are looking after.
Some times you might fell that the person you are working with might not fell that they will support you when you are felling out of your depth. A good team member would take the time out of their busy shift to help you. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and take the opportunity to learn from each other.
And if they don’t bring it up or talk to someone who you fell that you can talk to like your manager your nurse.
Know your company policies and procedures.
The policy’s that your company has have them for a reason and you need to follow them to the tee. Trust me if you don’t, you can get into hot water, I’m not saying you need to know them word for word but relising when something occurs in the work place you know what forms to write out or who to tell.
Recognise burn out or when you start felling anxious for any reason.
Your clients or your fellow caeres will reconise it well before you do,when your mind is in a diffrent place or that you are constally making little mistakes in your work.
This can be fixed with diffrent things like self care is a big way of helping yourself. take the time to let what is happening out in a safe way.
I would suggest talking to some outside your place of employment as romours can spread like wild fire within a work place. you can use the Employee assistance program (EAP) if the compay you work for offers this service. This is a anonymous service witch a company pays for and allows the person to access councillors or phycologists free of charge for 5–6 sessions,and the manager will know that someone has accessed the service but never know who it was. utilise any free services that the company you work for offers it’s employees.
Double glove
If you are like myself my hands get super sweaty while wearing gloves I usually double glove as it is easier to get gloves on than to muck about trying to get golves on sweaty hands. I usually don’t do this when I’m working with one person but if I have multiple tasks to do I would do this.
I know this might seem a waste but the thing is I think my health dose come out on top and also being efficant with the time you have as HCA’s don’t really have alot of time on our hands anything to save a bit of time is good.
Join a union!
As a HCA in new Zealand we are lucky to have two unions NZNO or Etu witch you can that are there to ultimately there to support you with any greveances that you may have, work place delegates should be approachable and knowlageble they should be able to help you with any situation or point you in the right direction.
You as a union member should not be treated any diffrently to a non union memeber. To join a union costs money but I think it’s a good saftey net that someone needs just incase the SHTF.
Do not let the bullys take control!
In nursing theres this saying that nurses eat their young. I hate this saying as why should there be bullying in such a caring profession. As someone with anxiety it is very hard to stand your ground when it comes to bullying and being able to go and see someone higher up to help you, this is where a union delegate comes into play also they are able to give advice about your situation or even support you going to mediation with the people involved
Remember the reason you are doing you job.
sometimes you have days where you just want to throw your hands up in the air and say screw this i’m leaving I hate this job and i’m never coming back. to be honest I have forght this felling thought out my work, and it’s not a pleasant thing to think about,but sometimes you do have to think weather it’s a time for a change or how do you change your prespective as you could be seeing things in a negitive light.
try and remind yourself what brought you into this job in the first place. for me it is I want to help people in their time of need it and this is indvidual for everyone. for instance Ive had a family of a guy who I look after in a care facility who had a friend who I had studied with went to her and they had said how wounderful I had been to this guy and how I treated him no differently than to a normal person. And I think wow that is really empowering and it made me fell that i was doing something right,in the time of turmoil. and I always think of that day as it make me relise that I’m doing my job right. so what i’m saying here is that you hold on to those small tidbits to keep you going.
Thanks for reading this,Got any tips or suggestions I’d love to to have a discussion below in the comments.
Have a good day
SH