Nursing staff
A day in the life of a nurse
On an early shift we arrive on duty and receive a handover from the night staff. We then make our way to the office to see which wing we are to work on for the shift. We get up, wash and change our clients and ask if they have any problems or worries. After this, we then tidy the rooms and change the beds, washing them down if necessary.
A trained nurse will leave the wing to administer the medications ensuring that it is “the right patient, the right time, the right dose and the right day.” Medication administration can take an hour and a half depending on the number of interruptions. Dressing, if needed and JPR charts are then checked and client taken to where they may arranged to go, e.g. Physiotherapy or the Residents Club.
The doctor receives a handover at around 10am and bloods are also done. If needed, the clients may be taken to the chiropodist, dentist or ECG. We then like to have a break for a coffee!!!
Before lunch we toilet and change the patients if needed and pick up any clients either from work or the residents club and then at midday it’s lunchtime and so the tables need to be set. We will either help in the kitchen or give medication and then clean the clients up. Around 1pm we will handover from morning to afternoon staff.
The laundry then is taken to the client’s rooms and the clothes for the next day are hung up. Some clients will then have bed rest and some will have a bath if they want.
We get ready for tea around 4.30pm and the medication round is started prior to the meal. We will then feed the clients who need feeding and take our time in doing so. After tea, the clients will often go into the lounge and watch television. Those who need a bath or shower are assisted with it.
The trained nurses will then update each clients record with any seizures and any medical information that is needed and will observe whilst everyone is having their meals.
In order to get ready for the night time, we will then change, wash and put the clients to bed, if they wish to go at that time, and then empty the bins and have a general tidy around before the night staff arrive for their shift. The trained nurses will give a handover to the night staff and then finish approximately 9.30pm.
