Georgina Appleton Hickling

I am a passionate and person focused qualified mental health nurse, with a particular interest in older adults with enduring organic mental illness.

Prior to my training as a Nurse, I trained as a beauty therapist, operating my own business, This provided me with essential person Centred skills and qualities that have enabled me to continually develop and enhance my dedication to helping, caring, advocating and empowering those with enduring mental illness.

Personal statement of Georgina Appleton Hickling.

In recent years I have been a mature student at the University of Nottingham studying a masters in Mental health Nursing. Within this role I have been a passionate advocate for people and their families, experiencing a diverse range of mental health in a range of mental health settings, such as the community and secure hospital settings. I particularly possess a high degree of experience working with the elderly living with dementia and its effects. During my masters, many of my placements were working with this group of people in the Derby/Derbyshire area, and this is where my inspiration and dedication to work with people living with dementia evolved, although I have always naturally transitioned towards working with our older generation, since working my very first job within a nursing home, as a tea girl, which I enjoyed immensely.

Alongside my professional nursing career working in the community, I have also worked voluntarily for the dyslexia association, supporting children and their families with special educational needs. I also have previous experience of working in a nursing home for the elderly, with both mental and physical impairment. I did this part time whilst I was a student. I have been an ardent advocate for people with mental and physical difficulties since I began my working career, at age 15.

I believe that through experience and practice that I have developed exceptional communication and negotiation skills, as they have been an integral part of the care and support that I have provided to my patients, the public, the Multidisciplinary team, and wider agencies that I worked within.

In my most recent position as a community mental health nurse I was required to communicate and liaise, both verbally and in writing with patients, other health professionals and within multidisciplinary meetings. For example, negotiate the initiation of medication for a patient with Dementia, which would include accurate and precise documentation, ensuring adherence to confidentiality and best care practice for the patient.

I believe that I possess excellent IT skills and am proficient in use of Microsoft office 365, which I was using back when completing my first degree in social sciences and later in my masters at the University of Nottingham. I have continued to use and develop these skills within my employment.

Throughout  my working career, I have always strived to improve and develop service delivery to enhance the quality of the life of patients and carers. For example I recently helped to develop an app for communication of patients with Dementia.

Within all positions that I have worked,  it was essential that records that I completed were up to date accurate and accessible,  to ensure that I was working competently and efficiently, and providing the absolute best practice  care on all occasions.

Learning from experience is an essential quality which I feel that I possess both professionally as a nurse and personally . One essential skill that I found important early in my career was excellent verbal communication with carers is essential in improving the quality of patients lives. Within my nursing career I would have weekly and monthly supervision, to gain perspective, peer support and guidance, which in turn enabled me to action and support patients using best care practice and ensuring that I was consistent in my practice and approach.

During my working career, and in particular my recent position as a community mental health nurse, It was essential that I effectively managed a patient case load with varying health needs. This included prioritising work in order of most significant need and the actions required to complete the task in hand to a consistently high standard, providing exceptional care to all my patients.

In my role as a mental health nurse in the community, as  I was responsible for a caseload of patients, and whilst carrying out my job, I would have to be constantly aware and actively report any safeguarding issues promptly and efficiently, as they arise. I would be required to do this adhering to strict guidelines and policies, and liaising with appropriate agencies and the multidisciplinary team, as appropriate.

I am an extremely passionate and motivated individual, and where appropriate and needed I have worked on my own initiative, particularly as a community nurse autonomous working is an essential criteria. However importantly knowing when to reach out for further support and guidance, to ensure that I am always representing safe and professional practice.

I consider myself to be a strong team player with a can do attitude, an example of this is when I have worked extra hours to facilitate an urgent meeting regarding a patients needs, also when I have witnessed a colleague who had a high work overload- having some capacity I offered to assist my colleague.

Working honestly and ethically are imperative skills of nursing practice and guidelines, they are also integral to me as a person. I have always strived to be the best person that I can be and always endeavour, to look after and care for others in the same way that I would like myself or my family to be cared for. I feel that this key perspective keeps me working both ethically and honestly in all my working practices.

Further, in my role as a community mental health nurse, autonomous working is a major part of the role. For example whilst making a routine visit to a patient with dementia, I identified a safeguarding concern, and was required to act on this immediately, ensuring the patients safety and following up with verbal and written reports and referrals, as necessary and appropriate.

I feel that I possess and can actively demonstrate  the necessary skills and attributes accumulated / demonstrated throughout my personal and working experiences. , In order that I can make a true and positive difference to others lives. Always passionately and independently advocating/ supporting/caring and advising  persons and their families affected by the devastating effects of Dementia.  .