Karen O'Rourke

Delivering person centred care including personal care, nutrition, medication, mobility and other general tasks enabling the client to live comfortably and safely within their own home. The care plan would be agreed with the client and individuals involved in their care, such as GP, District Nurses, Occupational Therapists and family.

As part of the Emergency Care Team we dealt with hospital discharges as clients were sent home. We often had little information or even a care plan and had to use our initiative to quickly assess the clients needs and current state of health and mobility. We were subject to constant rota changes and new clients daily as the situation from the hospital changed and had to adapt quickly to new information being received. Once with the client we were giving personal care, medication, nutrition and any other tasks that the care plan or hospital had put in place for us to complete. These care packages only lasted between 4-6 weeks when a care provider would be sourced for them. I also spent many shifts mentoring new carers to this role. I often had to consult with GPs, District Nurses, Occupational Therapists to delivery appropriate care.

Giving person centred care in the clients home including personal care, nutrition, medication and any other tasks that the care plan instructed us to provide. This culminated in myself being offered the role of care manager to be supervisor for carers within the company as I had spent a lot of time mentoring new carers within this role. This would entail office base tasks as well as being in the community delivering care.

Responsible for the care of 16 residents through the night with 1 carer as a sleep-in support. Responsible for giving personal care, medication, nutrition through the night and regular safety checks to ensure clients were safe and happy. Various domestic completed through the night as per a schedule given to the night carer. Breakfast prepared and served in the morning and then comprehensive handover given to day staff when the arrived in the morning.