The Highs And Lows Of My Work Journey

There is a mountain near to my sister’s home called Cadair Idris and it is one of my favourites to climb in all of the UK. But one distinct memory I have of every climb is that the first part of the path we follow is like a never ending relentless stair-case. It is harsh on your legs for that first half an hour or so.

But after that sharp steep snap, you arrive (with jelly legs) to a rewarding platform – the views are glorious, the route starts to level out, and the journey is finally more enjoyable.

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I started my current job at the end of last year, and it seemed to involve a mighty steep learning curve for the first few months. Then when things started to level out and I realized I had quickly attained a good idea of what my role encompassed I experienced sort of jelly legs – feeling a bit wobbly and unsure of my footing.

That has gradually eased away. Some days, I think I am doing ok – and the one patient can throw all of that learning out of the window by throwing up something completely new. There are times I realize there is so much further to go, and more steep climbing is ahead of me.

I like it though. I like the team. That makes all the difference. I probably won’t be there for long. But it is a nice place to work for now. The learning has been substantial and that is good – very useful experience that may come in useful in the future.

I Want To Get Away

I have a yearning for some peace and quiet all of a sudden. I think that is because this time of the year is so dreadful. People who are depressed, instances of violence within families, often effecting children, suicides – I am always so relieved when spring comes and the general awfulness of this season begins to lift.

I cannot share any details with you really, but there is so much that saddens me about people who are clearly not coping with the financial stress they are under, and I think this is sometimes magnified by other issues, and this has contributed to some horrendous incidents.

I feel as if I need a break – just to empty my head of all the people I have come into contact with who are in tragic situations. I have never known such a dark and gloomy December. I think it is especially hard because I am so happy and have so much to look forward to. It makes me feel for other people who in desperate situations even more. I just need a day or two to escape all of the sadness around me though. It is too much.

I don’t have any comment to make on the reasons some nurses and ambulance workers are not happy at the moment. But I will say this – remember that some NHS workers are exposed to some of the most heartbreaking scenarios you can imagine – and have to work throughout the holidays to provide access to urgent medical care 24/7.

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Wonderment

Recently, I met an NHS professional who impressed me within a very short space of time. Something quickly won my admiration and respect. I wish I had more time to observe this person in action. I also had this strong feeling that I would love to go for a coffee with them and just take in more about their character and manners. They had a certain presence – one that was such a pleasure to be around. I was in a state of wonderment – which impacted me deeply.

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I other news… I have a large bruise on my hand – and it seems to have appeared rather randomly, without any injury. It does not hurt – but it looks terrible!!

That’s What You Pay Your Taxes For

Whilst I have been on holiday, my NHS training has been called upon during several incidents. Today, there was yet another incident (the third person in my family to forget about the force of gravity) and I ended up having to negotiate with a paramedic about the best course of action – he and I did not agree.

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Anyway, some of my relatives were being rather excessive in their expressions of praise and appreciation for my response to the incidents we have had over the past week, and well…I really do not like flattery. So in rebuttal, I stated:

“It’s all part of the NHS service. That is what you pay your taxes for.”

He Is A Very Bad Example!

I don’t want to say this too many times – because it gets boring – but work is tough right now. When I see Jack on Saturday evening, I always feel pent up with work stress, but he is very good at helping me to unwind and relax.

This week it was with King Julian impressions!

Jack suggested that when faced with a very difficult patient (there are some) I could imitate King Julian’s attempt at professional whistling. Yes, yes, Jack can do a great King Julian impression, including the whistling.

Then he started acting out asking a patient questions about their symptoms in a King Julian style, “What is it? Tell me! What is it? Why don’t you tell me! Fine – don’t tell me!!!”

Oh my goodness, before long I was crying with laughter. I am so glad for Jack – although he is ever so slightly insane, he is just so great at keeping me sane!!

Maybe I Am Just Tired

Jack asked me why I am so determined to stay in the job I am in and the accommodation I am in. The reason he asked me is that work is sometimes very tough. The work itself is not tough, it is just that every now and then a patient is particularly challenging.

Of course, I know I will leave this job at some point. Jack and I will be living miles away from where I am currently based. But while I am here, I have to admit my nest is ideal, and I really do like the team I work with. They are lovely. It is so rare to find a team who do not use bad language or spread unkind gossip. Everyone is very nice. I don’t take that for granted.

Yes, work can be hard. Working in the health service is demanding, and at the moment it seems particularly tough. I am hoping it will settle a little.

But Jack said he was worried about me as I seem to be slightly demoralised. I explained it was that feeling of not enough time for the amount of work, so no matter how hard you work, no matter how much good you do, there is always the awareness of what was missed or neglected. It is hard to swallow.

Jack just said to be careful, no job is worth suffering detrimentally for. I agree. If I felt I was dreading work, I would rethink my choice to stay. But at the moment, I don’t feel that way. I look forward to seeing my teammates. I want to contribute to the team effort. I want to do what is in my power to promote positive healthy living…as well as kindness, joy, love for life and planet.

Maybe I am just tired.

I think Jack worries about me when he thinks I am “over-doing it”.

A Surge Of Sickos!!!

It truly is satisfying to care for the health needs of people. I love people. I care about them. Working with the NHS is a role where even the toughest days, though tiring, can be very rewarding.

We have noticed something at work (this may or may not interest you) – a huge increase in infections needing antibiotics. The reason that is of interest to us….is partly because in recent years, the NHS guidelines have basically been to avoid antibiotics because of the danger of lurgies developing resistance to antibiotics.

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But suddenly….we are seeing people of all ages full of gunk, of the most ghastly colours….coughing, croaking, telling us they feel like they are more ill than they can ever remember in their lives!!

Oh the joys of the NHS!! You have to have a strong stomach to listen to patients describing the worst of their symptoms. I am glad that today is the last working day of the week. For the next couple of days….all my work will be in connection with work I am doing in connection with the charities I work for. So exciting!!!

Days When I Love The Health Service

Yesterday was a good day. You know, sometimes I find my job very tiring, it can be very stressful and is often exhausting. But here is something interesting – I love people – and so for me, being part of a team (and working in the health service is for team players) and caring for the health needs of people is hugely satisfying.

I am very tired though – so I am going to bed!

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What Will Change For Me On Monday?

So apparently Monday is the lifting of all sorts of social distancing restrictions, limits on the numbers who gather and the abandonment of facemasks (however, individuals and some other entities can decide what works best for them). Perhaps some of us are a little bit confused at present.

I now know that nothing will really change for me. We have received directives to say that healthcare workers will still wear full PPE – we will be wearing facemasks masks all day long, testing twice-weekly and continuing with our super-vigilant cleaning procedures. I think some of my colleagues may have mixed feelings about that, but I think it makes sense. Our patients are also expected to wear facemasks and if they don’t have one, we are to give them one and ask them to don it. Of course we are hoping nobody starts kicking off and behaving badly about that!

Thank goodness public transport in London will still require facemasks. I was on a bus at the weekend with several people breathing in my breath and I was breathing theirs in – we were sandwiched together. It was not a nice situation. I think anyone would be an intrepid soul to gamble on boarding a bus or train in London without a facemask.

Will I be rushing off to a nightclub to get sweaty with hundreds of youngsters? Not on your nelly!

However…I can see that in some areas, including some of the remote parts of the countryside where some of my family live, I am sure the lifting of restrictions will be welcome there. They have observed all the directions, staying at home, not allowing visitors, wearing facemasks, strict limits on numbers when some social gatherings were allowed – despite living halfway up a mountain that not even the postman can be bothered trekking up.

But as for me….in London….working in healthcare – it looks as if nothing is going to change on Monday. To be honest…I don’t have any complaints about that at all.

You are all going to have to wait a little while longer to see my beautiful smile!

There Is No “I” In Team

I keep on thinking about work. I am in a good place mentally about work at the moment. It can be extremely stressful and demanding at times, but right now, I am coping just fine with that. That’s not always the way. Some weeks, I am so exhausted I come home and curl up wishing that I never ever had to go back there.

Some times, I feel as if I end up doing all the least popular tasks. I don’t mind. I really don’t mind what I do at work. We are all part of a team. I have felt as if some of my teammates were just so stressed and under so much pressure more and more was being left for me to do. I am happy to sort out all the time-consuming, faffy, frustrating tasks and get paperwork finished off so the decks are cleared.

But over time, it has felt as if some of the team began to view it as my job to sort out the rubbishy tasks. I still don’t mind doing those tasks. But what I don’t like the idea is any of the team feeling there is some pecking order and they take on the more “glamourous” tasks. I don’t think anyone is doing it. But I do sometimes notice a spirit of “this is your job and that is my job”, whereas the truth for the most part is that we all need to be able to multi-task and be willing to do whatever is asked of us. Not completing tasks sometimes makes it harder for someone else to come along and work out what we have done and not done and fill in the gaps without a clue.

It’s not really a big issue….it’s just….the way I see it is that we are a team. I don’t believe in individual glory at all. I believe that as a team we work together. All have strengths, all have weaknesses. All are working hard. Some are particularly effective in tasks that mean we meet targets. My boss has sometimes singled me out because of the “results” I obtain in some areas. I feel uncomfortable with that, partly because of having a dislike to personal praise. But partly because I don’t want others to feel discouraged. I don’t want competition amongst the team. I perceive the team as a group of humans, with hearts, that might be close to breaking.

We all have good days and bad days. We all need to be aware that sometimes our colleagues need a little more kindness, or more understanding. When we are tired, we get whingy and start to feel as if the odds are stacked against us, or we are working harder than everyone else.

I don’t know….I just love the people I work with. We have been under so much pressure and so much stress. But for me….I don’t think wages or glory compensate for kindness and love. Some of my colleagues might not see things that way. Some want a lot more than 1% as a reward for all their hard work. Others want to be given praise and verbal appreciation or perhaps promotion. We all want to feel needed. Everyone is needed. We just are different. As a team we are especially amazing. For most of the past year there has been a tremendously supportive spirit amongst the team. I want that to stay. I don’t want anyone to feel undervalued and unappreciated.

That’s one of the reasons why I guess I am happy to take on the rubbishy tasks – because that’s my way of saying to my teammates – you do the work you find more rewarding, I’ll do those annoying tasks no one seems to want to do. I’ll do them because they are part of the work we do as a team. They may be rubbishy….but we have to make sure they are completed as a team. But I am not doing them to win praise for doing rubbishy tasks. I am doing them because we are a team – and I want the team to be happy and enjoy their work. I don’t want anyone to dread coming to work, I don’t want anyone to go home feeling bitter. I want all to know that as a collective – we are really really remarkable – we have been all year.