A few weeks ago we said goodbye to our wonderful Clinical Manager Judith. We thought it’d be a great opportunity to speak with Judith about her time at Care on Call, and reflect on her favourite parts of the job. Here are her responses:
How long have you been with Care on Call, and what is your role here?
I’ve been at care on call for two and a half years, and I work as a Clinical Manager. This means that I’m in charge of oversight from a clinical point of view, so I deal with anything clinical for policies and procedures, training support staff, completing peer reviews for Medcall and disciplinaries, and responding to needs. For example, one of our clients had a cylinder in the home for continuous oxygen, so I researched and put together a training resource to enable their support worker to be safe when caring for them.
Where did you work prior to Care on Call?
I am what you would call a ‘generalist nurse’, so I’ve covered many specialities from medicine, surgery, plastic surgery, youth health to stoma care, among other areas. Most recently before Care on Call, I used to work in the DHB in a department that would help people affected by various conditions become ‘work ready’. I specifically worked with people affected by mental illness, providing them with the resources they needed to enter the workforce.
How did you end up at Care on Call?
After seven years in my previous role, I wanted a change. There had always been strong threads of rehabilitation and teaching throughout my career, and when I saw the position at Care on Call come up, I thought It’d satisfy those areas of interest for me. Also, I could see the potential at Care on Call to raise the level of clinical excellence using my own experience and knowledge.
What are your favourite parts about working here with us?
There are a few highlights for me. One is how I’ve been able to get many of our support staff on their own educational pathway. I’ve been able to help them improve their literacy among other skills that have led them to take off into further education – opportunities that wouldn’t have been possible if we hadn’t supported them to begin following these pathways. For me, this is the cherry on top of the role. Another rewarding element is having satisfied clients. It’s always special to hear about the difference we’ve made to the quality of life of our clients. For example, I met with a grandmother/caregiver who had a bad experience with her previous care provider. Over the years I’ve made an effort to nurture a good relationship with her, so now she feels safe and supported in caring for her 4 year old grandchild. And of course, I love working with our team. I’ve enjoyed meeting up with the clinical team in Palmerston North and Wellington, supporting them in getting their PDRP’s, and working with the rest of the wonderful Care on Call team.
In her new role, Judith will be working with serious injury clients, attending to their clinical needs in the community, and dealing with the admission of new ACC clients. We’re sad to say goodbye to Judith, but wish her the best of luck for her future endeavours! Ngā mihi nui.