Olajide Rabiu

As a Healthcare Support Worker, I have gained valuable hands-on experience working with patients across a variety of care settings, including residential care homes and community-based services. My role has focused on supporting elderly individuals, many of whom live with long-term conditions such as dementia, mobility issues, and mental health challenges including depression and anxiety.

My responsibilities have included assisting with personal care such as bathing, dressing, toileting, and feeding, as well as supporting patients with mobility and daily routines. I have also supported patients with nutritional needs through tube feeding, ensuring correct procedures are followed for hygiene, safety, and comfort. I understand the importance of monitoring for any signs of discomfort or complications and reporting them promptly to the team coordinator.

Additionally, I have taken vital signs, recorded observations, and reported any changes in patients’ physical or emotional well-being to the family member and manager. These duties have required a high level of attention to detail, confidentiality, and care.

What I find most rewarding about this role is the opportunity to build relationships with clients and make a real difference in their day-to-day lives. I have learned how to communicate effectively and compassionately, especially with individuals who are confused, distressed, or experiencing mental health symptoms. I’ve also worked closely with families and multidisciplinary teams to ensure holistic, person-centred care.

Through this experience, I have developed greater emotional resilience, teamwork skills, and a strong understanding of safeguarding, infection control, and patient dignity. It has confirmed my passion for healthcare and encouraged me to pursue further training and responsibility within the sector.

As an agency Healthcare Assistant working in a school for children and young people with learning disabilities, I have gained valuable experience in delivering care and support in a highly specialised and rewarding environment. My role has involved working flexibly as part of a multidisciplinary team, supporting students with a wide range of complex needs, including autism, Down syndrome, ADHD, and other developmental or sensory processing conditions.

Day-to-day, my responsibilities have included assisting with personal care routines, helping with feeding (including adapted diets), managing mobility and physical support needs, and providing emotional reassurance. Many students required tailored communication methods such as Makaton, PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System), or visual schedules, and I quickly adapted to using these tools to build trust and promote independence.

As an agency worker, I have had to be highly adaptable—often stepping into unfamiliar settings with little notice and learning new routines quickly while maintaining consistency of care. I prioritized creating a calm, structured environment for the children, often supporting them with classroom activities, therapeutic sessions, and behavioral interventions as directed by the permanent staff and teaching teams.
Working in this setting taught me the importance of patience, empathy, and clear communication. I gained valuable skills in managing behaviours that challenge, de-escalating situations safely and professionally, and recognising when students needed sensory breaks, emotional support, or one-to-one attention. I also worked in line with EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan) goals to promote each student's learning and development.

This experience has deepened my understanding of person-centred care and the importance of consistency, structure, and compassion when supporting children with learning disabilities. It has also strengthened my commitment to working in specialist educational or healthcare environments where I can make a meaningful difference.

• Assisted elderly residents with daily tasks such as eating, bathing, and dressing for an enhanced quality of life while in the clinic.
• Ensured infection control measures were adhered to strictly for a safe environment for both staff and patients alike.
• Delivered high-quality patient service by maintaining cleanliness in wards.
• Monitored vital signs of patients with meticulous attention to detail for accurate readings.
• Kept detailed records of patient progress, assisted medical staff in treatment planning.
• Assisted in physical therapy sessions with patients to promote mobility improvement
• Escorted patients for tests or procedures within the hospital premises, whilst ensuring their safety and comfort.

I have had direct experience working in road traffic accident (RTA) emergency rescue situations, where I was part of a team responding to critical incidents requiring urgent care, coordination, and calm decision-making under pressure. In these high-stress environments, my role focused on providing immediate support to casualties, assisting emergency responders, and ensuring safety at the scene.
Upon arrival at accident sites, I was involved in assessing the situation, following emergency protocols, and helping secure the area to prevent further injury or hazards. I assisted in providing first aid—such as wound care, stabilising injuries, checking for signs of consciousness, and supporting airway management—until paramedics arrived. In some cases, I helped to reassure and communicate with victims in distress, keeping them calm and alert during extraction or treatment.
Working alongside fire crews, paramedics, and sometimes police, I observed and participated in coordinated efforts to extricate individuals trapped in vehicles, using safety equipment and working with precision to avoid worsening any injuries. I also supported with moving casualties onto stretchers or into ambulances, ensuring safe manual handling and careful monitoring of their condition.
These experiences taught me the critical importance of teamwork, situational awareness, and emotional resilience. In every rescue, time was vital, but so was compassion—being present for people in moments of trauma, shock, or fear. This role reinforced my commitment to emergency care and deepened my understanding of trauma response and crisis communication.