From early on, Gessica knew that she wanted to be a nurse, she knew she wanted to do something with meaning; to help people, and to give them a sense of independence. Home care was the perfect career choice.
Gessica works as an enrolled nurse for Bolton Clarke, one of Australasia’s most experienced not-for-profit providers of independent living, health, and wellbeing services. Gessica works in home care, which means she takes her skills as a nurse to clients in their homes.
“This is where I’ve always wanted to be – going to work every day makes me happy.”
“Being a nurse is something I’ve always wanted to do as I get to know my clients on a personal level and have that ability to build longer term relationships – it’s something you don’t get in a hospital setting. Ultimately you are helping people live at home independently, which is usually what clients want.
“The job itself suits my life as I don’t have any shift work and I can create my own hours and schedules. Aside from some standard hours, I do one evening a month and one weekend a month. It fits with my life, as a mother to young children – and I get weekends – that flexibility is important to me.
“Home care is important because it allows for that sense of independence. If clients can have their remaining time in the comfort of their home, it makes them happy and relaxed.
Gessica says that every day in her role is different. She explains that the day in the life of a home care enrolled nurse is diverse.
“Typically, I have my usual clients that I see, it starts off with medication management, I might do injections, I might do wound care catheter care, we do assessments, falls and risks assessments, documentation – it is a huge variation and ranges from client to client.
Gessica says that because you are providing care in someone’s home you need to be prepared to travel. She says this is something you need to manage as part of your day-to-day work.
“You can be on the road a lot, with brief time frames, sometimes you need to get to new clients’ houses in new areas, and if you are running over with a client, it can have a knock-on effect for the rest of your day.
“Clients are so welcoming and always happy to see me. I get lots of appreciative feedback from clients or their families saying they are happy with the support and care provided.
“The work is rewarding, but the experience and confidence you gain is what keeps you motivated. There are so many happy memories – one that stands out is when I was working with a client who had multiple skin cancers and I was attending dressing changes pre and post radiation treatment over a period of ten months. After her recovery, she sent me flowers and a heartfelt note thanking me for the care and support – it was extremely rewarding to see her healing and her get on with her life.
To become an enrolled nurse you need to undertake the Diploma of Nursing (HLT54121). The qualification is offered at a range of registered training organisations in Victoria and Tasmania. Course lengths can vary from provider to provider; however, you can gain the qualification in 18 months.
The Diploma of Nursing (HLT54121) will give you a range of nursing skills including how to implement and monitor care for a person with acute health conditions, how to administer and monitor medicines and intravenous therapy and more. To complete the course, you will also complete placements, which will give you exposure to real-world environments.
Gessica said the placement component of her course gave her a good understanding of the role and expanded her skills in different settings.
“While studying I did placements at various hospitals and nursing homes, including mental health facilities – it helped me experience different settings and choose where I wanted to go and gave me an idea of clinical skills I would need as well.
“I love my job; I try and go above and beyond every day. It is where I have always wanted to be. Going to work every day makes me happy. Even on a Monday morning, I’m think, ‘I get to see this person today,’ whereas most people dread Monday morning.
“Although I work independently, I work with a team of nurses, and we are all supportive of each other and help each other out. Working independently does not necessarily mean you are working alone. I like the balance of both.”
If you have care in your DNA, then why not explore a career in home care. Becoming an enrolled nurse in home care is a wonderful career opportunity to combine expertise and compassion. If you don’t yet hold a Diploma of Nursing (HLT54121) our Home Care Career specialists can work with you to find funded training. There’s such a demand for enthusiastic workers who are ready to learn, if you show up with a positive attitude, a willingness to learn, you can create an extraordinary career.
Learn more about nursing in the home care sector.
Contact the Home Care Careers team today to learn more.
