Lil Gurung

A Student Health Visitor is a qualified nurse or midwife in training to become a Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (SCPHN). Under supervision, they support families with children under five through home visits, clinics, and health promotion activities. The role involves assessing child development, offering parenting advice, promoting immunisations, and safeguarding children. Students combine academic study with practical placements to develop skills in communication, public health, and multidisciplinary working.

An Adult Community Nurse in District Nursing provides care to patients in their own homes settings. They support individuals with complex health needs, long-term conditions, wound care, catheter and medication management, and end-of-life care. Working closely with GPs and other professionals, they promote independence, reduce hospital admissions, and deliver person-centred care in the community.

Took a planned career break to start and raise a young family. During this time, I remained committed to my professional development, studying at the University of West London in September 2021 and again in September 2022, while maintaining my NMC registration.

My responsibilities entailed effectively communicating with residents, providing holistic support daily, especially during challenging periods. I ensured compliance with infection control protocols in daily nursing practices to maintain a safe environment. I diligently and securely maintained confidential records of patients' histories and treatment plans by the General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. I delivered high-quality patient care, prioritising both comfort and well-being. I developed individualised nursing care plans based on the findings of patient assessments. I collaborated with interdisciplinary healthcare teams to provide comprehensive patient care. I liaised with multi-professional teams, including general practitioners, physiotherapists, dentists, dietitians, and palliative care providers, to foster consistent communication and uphold optimal care practices. I ensured the safe and legal handling of medications and controlled substances by the Medicines and Medical Devices Act 2021 and adhered to the Mental Capacity Act (2019). I assessed and evaluated the holistic needs of patients to support accurate and effective care planning. Additionally, I established caring and compassionate relationships with patients, offering them emotional support.

In my position, I was responsible for assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating the needs and preferences of the residents. To address the residents ' needs and wishes, I collaborated with multidisciplinary teams, including General Practitioners (GPS), dentists, hospitals, physiotherapists, the Hospital at Home initiative, palliative care teams, and family members. Furthermore, I conducted holistic assessments and raised safeguarding concerns whenever necessary. My tenure at the Close Care Home was remarkable, as it constituted my inaugural experience working as a Registered General Nurse (RGN) in a care home environment. I derived immense satisfaction from this role and acquired significant knowledge, which fuelled my desire to explore diverse opportunities within other care homes further. Consequently, I transitioned to a different care home to broaden my experience.

My professional responsibilities encompassed providing care for elderly patients within their home environments. This included wound care, catheter changes, stoma bag changes, palliative care, and diabetes management, including insulin administration and blood glucose monitoring. Additionally, I collaborated with general practitioners, dentists, physiotherapists, podiatrists, tissue viability nurses, the Emergency Medical Unit (EMU), and palliative care specialists. Furthermore, I ensured that any concerns identified during risk assessments were promptly reported via incident reports and communicated to the appropriate personnel, thereby safeguarding the well-being of vulnerable elderly individuals. I found great fulfilment in this role and sought to expand my knowledge regarding dementia and medication management, subsequently transitioning to care homes.