Angela Hamdan

• I was a member of the healthcare team; initial interviews were on teams, and there was no formal tour of the facility until all clearance was completed and I actually reported for duty.
• At this point, I realised that I was working in a prison environment, which was very restricted by red tape. After discussion with the matron, it was decided that I was not best suited to the environment, and I found the learning very disorganised.
• Performed wound care procedures, applying dressings and monitoring healing processes.
• Administered prescribed medications to patients and monitored responses to address any adverse reactions.
• Responded to life-threatening emergencies.

I worked Nights, i ensured the patients had all there medications before settling them down for the night, giving medications via P.E.G feeding tubes, helping those who have acquired brain injuries.

I learnt how to communicate with those who could not talk following their injuries. I would work closely with support workers tending to there needs, also the one thing i found helped was my ability to empathize.

In the beginning i started on the orthopedic ward, then i transferred to Pre-assessment where i would assess a patients health when they where going for general anesthetic, this covered communicating with the anesthetists relaying information obtained and to do any further investigating at the anesthetists request. Obtaining medical records from GP practice and any other specialist that the patient was cared for.

Going through medication and knowing which medication to stop before surgery.

Ensuring the patients journey starts at pre-assessment and ends on discharge following surgery.

Then I transferred to Day Care looking after patients that where in having surgery under general aesthetic. With experience of pre-assessment i could also see health issues that may not have been detected prior to admission, relaying this information could be vital to the patients well being.

During covid the daycare unit i worked on was closed and then i began working back on the main ward caring for major joint replacements, spinal and general surgery cases. Obtaining a full history on admission, going through all the patients medication, i also used to give the patients time to adjust. Keeping full documentation, factual, time related and accurate.

While i was working out in Riyadh i was working on the only female surgical ward in the whole hospital so the specialties i cared for where ENT adults and children, general orthopedics, spinal, general surgery, vascular surgery and bariatrics.

This was where i obtained my competencies for venipuncture, and cannulation.

This was my first post following qualification, i was working on the orthopedic ward, this was when my learning really began.