7 “ “ It can be very challenging but I love my job Pet peeves and pythons Visiting patients’ homes comes with its own unique set of challenges such as unexpected pets and locked doors. Adisa Adam is one of the newest district nurses in the team, joining three months ago after university. Explaining one of the challenges she’s already experienced, she said: “Some patients don’t want to be seen and initially don’t open the door to you. You have to have patience and explain that they need care.” Nurse Margaret Nanyongn shared her personal challenge with felines. She said: “I have a fear of cats which I have to conquer every single day!” But that pales into insignificance as the team recall a visually impaired patient who hadn’t realised their pet python had escaped until their district nurse visited and came face to face with the reptile! Healthcare support worker Yevdokilya Shkar, known as Victoria, has worked in the district nursing team for seven years. “You never know what you’re going to be facing each day,” Victoria said. “You have to work alongside families, sometimes in cluttered environments and you have to do it under pressure. It can be very challenging, but I love my job.” Honing skills Margaret worked on hospital wards before making the move to community nursing. She said: “It’s totally different and you get to acquire a lot of different skills on the job.” Practice development nurse, Becky Balakrishnan, said: “There’s a lot of variety in the role which people enjoy. We help our nurses perform at their best and train them with a wide range of skills.” Chinwe Iwuagwu, caseload manager, explained the additional pressure they can be under: “District nursing means lone working. You’re travelling alone and have to make clinical decisions by yourself.” L-R: caseload managers Carmella Craig, Ama Arthur and Chinwe Iwuagwu Continuity of care in the clinic As well as going out to visit patients, the team also manage a clinic four days a week at St Michael’s for patients on the community care caseload who can make it into the clinic for an appointment. Carmella Craig, caseload manager, has worked at North Mid for 15 years and has led the clinic since its inception in 2018. She shared: “The importance of the clinic is that it provides that continuity of care – you see the same patient and you can notice any deterioration and act on it. I’ve got a lot of rapport with patients that come here. They get to know me and get more comfortable.” A passion for community care The passion the district nurses have for their work shines through. Adisa shared why she chose community nursing: “I get to spend more time with patients and build a relationship with them.” Ama said: “We all make life better. We have an impact on patients and our presence at home makes the families feel safe. Some families find solace in us.” Mercy added: “Seeing patients in the comfort of their own home and making them feel well is fulfilling. I especially enjoy working with the elderly – the little things you do, which you see as a job, mean such a lot.”
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