Skills, Interests etc.

No two days in continuing care are the same, and you must be able to adapt without any adverse effect on the persons for whom you provide care while upholding the standards and policies of your profession and your employer.  CCAs, LPNs, and RNs are in high demand in Nova Scotia.  There will be opportunities for work and advancement within the workplace. Being adaptable and willing to learn new things will help you be prepared for opportunities when they arise.

Some workers find that shift work allows for a more flexible lifestyle than a 9 to 5, five day a week schedule and shift schedules can present varying blocks of days off, depending on rotations. However, shift work is demanding. Standing or walking for most of the time and dealing with emotionally challenging situations can be draining.  Having to work weekends, holidays, and overnight shifts is a dislike for some workers. Additionally, workers are sometimes asked to take on additional shifts to accommodate staffing needs. Make sure you are physically and mentally fit and have the supports i.e. transportation, flexible child care and other supports needed to enable shift work.

Knowledge isn’t the only thing you need to do your job. A naturally compassionate spirit is a must-have personality trait for those in the care provider role. Why is this true? As a care provider, you will be dealing with people who need care and support, every day. Many CCAs, LPNs and RNs work in nursing homes, special care facilities or individuals’ homes, where your care and compassion can have just as much impact as caring for that person’s physical needs.

You may think it makes sense that client charts and forms contain pages of essential details that must be correct. But there are other reasons and ways to pay attention to detail as well. Has your usually impeccably-dressed client been missing buttons and zippers, perhaps signaling a loss of ability? Did your client mention a change in diet or sleep that should be examined further by their doctor? Do you have to repeat yourself to a client, perhaps revealing memory or hearing issues that didn’t exist before? As a direct care provider, you’ll spend more time with your clients than anyone else. The information you provide is vital to the plan of care for each and contributes to decisions about medical care by the doctors. Therefore, your attention to detail is critical to the persons’ care.

Smiling changes your attitude for the positive, even if you don’t realize it.  Smiling and laughter can help manage anxiety, reduce tension and even strengthen the immune system.  Smiling can also increase your confidence!  A positive attitude can impact your job performance!  From dealing with job stress to creative problem solving, to managing interpersonal relationships with co-workers, having a positive outlook can be contagious. We tend to be more productive and do our best when we have a positive attitude—even towards undesirable assignments. What employer doesn’t appreciate that?  Most importantly a smile and a positive approach, as the care provider, can make your clients feel they are being cared for with compassion. Your positive outlook can fuel your client’s energy reserves and help them face seemingly overwhelming challenges, so be positive and smile, for the health of it!

Quick thinking saves lives. As a care provider, you’ll face a variety of different situations. For instance, you might be on your way to check on a client and notice another who appears very pale and weak. You should quickly intervene to make sure the individual is okay. Being aware of your surroundings and being able to notice when people are in need can not only make you successful in your job, but it can save lives.

Caring for people in their moment of need is not your average 9 to 5 job. Whether you’ve wanted to be a care provider since you were five or if your sense of compassion came later in life, successful care providers don’t just have talents, knowledge, and education to make them suitable professionals – they also have a calling to care.

Care providers need to communicate with a variety of people: clients, doctors, other team members and staff, families, facility and program managers and administrators, and more. With a client, you may need to speak slowly and use basic terminology to help them understand your plan. With a supervisor or doctor, you may need to give a quick summary while they are between activities or you are speaking to them on the telephone. Understanding various situations and being an active listener are the foundation of clear, effective communication. Delivering important and sometimes emotional messages in an empathetic and diplomatic way is also a must-have skill for care providing professionals.  There is more to communication than speaking, reading, writing, and texting. Additional relevant information about the aspects of good communication and other work-life skills that will lead to your success in your career are available. These essential skills can also be applied and used beyond the workplace in a range of daily activities. Check out the Conference Board of Canadas’ Essential Skills.

You have often heard that “patience is a virtue.” Many care providers find that patience is the top skill they need to succeed.  Why is that? Well, the people you provide care for are often scared, sometimes very ill and maybe even suspicious of their surroundings. You may be the target of their aggression-you may be the one to bathe the woman with the worst attitude or feed the man who complains about everything. Controlling your reactions to the behaviors and maintaining a patient and professional demeanor is critical to success as a care provider. It always helps to remind yourself that it’s ‘not about you.’

Maintaining physical strength and preventing injury is vital to care providers. It might not seem like the most significant endeavor to stand on your feet for over 10 hours at a time, but it indeed takes training and practice. You may also need to move patients in and out of beds and chairs, manage mechanical lifts, push a cart or wheelchair, and complete other physically demanding tasks during your shifts. Most workers must be able to move 30 pounds or more. Regular exercise and a healthy diet are things you’ll talk to your clients about, so you might as well practice what you preach. Your body will appreciate your efforts the end of a long day, and you’ll set an example for your clients. Practicing full body stretches is a good habit to develop at the beginning a shift. It helps warm up your muscles and helps prevent injury. Think of it like going to the gym for a workout or starting out for a run. You wouldn’t or shouldn’t do either without first warming up, would you?

Emotional health is another requirement for potential care providers. You need to consider if you are emotionally and mentally prepared to face the challenges that are part of a typical day. Care providers are present for some of the most joyful moments of their clients’ lives. Imagine being present when an elderly person, recovering from a fall, is able to walk to the dining room for the first time in months. But care providers often see clients who are facing life challenges, who may be scared, or dealing with physical discomfort and who have changing emotional needs. It takes an emotionally stable person to deal with some of these situations.Wondering if you have the emotional strength? Here are seven ways to assess yourself and others: “Emotionally strong people…

• Are less discouraged by setbacks and disappointments.
• Are more adaptable to change.
• Recognize and express their needs.
• Focus on getting around a hurdle rather than on the barrier itself.
• Can learn from mistakes and feedback.
• Tend to see the larger picture in a challenging situation.
• Recover more quickly from emotional wounds such as failure or rejection.

(The 7 Characteristics of Emotionally Strong People … and why criers can be just as tough as anyone else, Psychology Today, Guy Winch Ph.D., June 4, 2015. Accessed from Psychology Today web page 3/3/2018).

Being literate in new technologies is vital in the healthcare field, as digital healthcare records, mobile tools, and other technologies improve both client care and workflow. Healthcare is an exciting field to be in for those interested in technical advancements. More and more, there are devices and objects designed with modern technological innovations that can simplify a patient’s daily tasks and support the delivery of care. It’s crucial to remain knowledgeable on technology trends so that you can adapt and keep your skills sharp.