If you are looking for a career which offers something different every day; if you are not afraid of hard work and want the opportunity to make a real difference to peoples’ lives then nursing could be for you, according to Rachel Chapman who will be celebrating 25 years as a nurse this year.
Rachel started nursing at age 18 after completing her training and can’t imagine herself doing anything else.
“I worked as a practice nurse after training before moving into a care home after I had my children,” she said. “Nursing was the career I wanted, I have never done anything else and can’t imagine I ever will now.”
For Rachel nursing has offered regular challenges and lots of variety as well as being flexible with shifts fitting around her family commitments.
“Working in a care home as a nurse you quickly build up relationships with the residents as you are seeing them every day and they become like family. Their families come to know you and rely on you too. I live and work locally so am often bumping into people whose relatives I may have nursed.”
Being a nurse is hard work and the hours can be antisocial but it brings with it great rewards and job satisfaction. You are valued and can make a big difference to peoples’ lives, added Rachel. Sometimes situations can be stressful but working as part of a team in a care home means there are always others to support you.
As a registered nurse Rachel has to revalidate her training every three years and is supported to do this by Healthcare Homes.
“The training is important and things are always changing so you have to keep up to date,” said Rachel. “There’s always something new to learn or new residents and situations to get familiar with – certainly it is different every day and there is never a chance to get bored.”
Rachel works at Oaktree care home, a happy home run by a strong caring team. Oaktree is a just outside Bristol and is surrounded with lovely gardens. The team are passionate about providing truly exceptional care and work with residents and their families to ensure all individual care needs are met. The home offers residential, respite, nursing, palliative and nursing dementia care. Rachel’s son and daughter both became part of the Oaktree family as teenagers when they worked as kitchen assistants. Her daughter is now a qualified midwife.
Healthcare Homes has 48 care homes across the south and east of the UK providing residential, respite and dementia care as well as palliative and specialist care services. Healthcare Homes is one of the UK’s leading care providers, currently celebrating eight consecutive years as one of independent review site carehome.co.uk Top 20 Award winners. Healthcare Homes also provides award-winning domiciliary care and live-in care.
To find out more about career opportunities at Healthcare Homes call our careers team on 01206 987499 or see our website www.healthcarehomes.co.uk
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