REFLECTIVE ACCOUNT
1. TIME OF ARRIVAL AT WORK.
I arrived at work for my morning shift at 07.15 am. Clocked in the Kronos machine. This is to confirm to my employer the time of arrival whether I was in time for my shift which starts at 07.30 am. I also physically signed in the staff register book in the office.
Read more This is to confirm that I am on shift and in the building. This a requirement in line with Health and safety procedures ( in the event of fire). After signing in, I went to the lounge where the night staff were and exchanged greetings with them
2. Hand over.
Read more This is to confirm that I am on shift and in the building. This a requirement in line with Health and safety procedures ( in the event of fire). After signing in, I went to the lounge where the night staff were and exchanged greetings with them
2. Hand over.
After all the other morning staff were in, we had handover at 07.35 hrs from one night staff member in the office away from any of the youths who were up or might walk in to the lounge so as to preserve the confidentiality of any YP’s who needed to be discussed. The shift leader checked the relevant aspects in the shift handover book and signed to say that she had checked everything (which includes medication, laundry, cleaning and other records) and also to confirm that she had received the shift keys from the night staff.
3. Shift plan
The shift leader allotted jobs for us to do that morning all was recorded on the shift plan. I was assigned to assist one of our YP with making of his breakfast and personal care. I was also assigned to administer medication that morning.
4. Breakfast
I assisted YP who is less able in making his own breakfast by using a few verbal and physical prompts. With this support, also by giving them choices for breakfast, (toast, cereal and fruit) they were able to select the correct items from the kitchen cupboards. In this instance, the YP choose toast, so I assisted him to take out four pieces of bread and asked him to put them in the toaster. Then prompted him to press the toaster on. Then I asked him to choose the spread they wanted on the toast. I gave them chocolate spread and butter to choose from. They choose chocolate spread. After finishing breakfast, I prompted him to tidy up and put the dirty utensils in the sink in the kitchen.
5. Personal care
After breakfast, I then assisted the YP with their personal care routine. I and the YP collected a bath towel and a flannel from the laundry. We chose the school uniform and got the toiletries from the COOSH cupboard and then went to the bathroom. I adjusted the shower temperatures and I prompted the YP to remove their pyjamas, which they did with no issues.Then asked them to have a shower. Whilst in the shower, I gave them a flannel with some shower gel on, and with over hand support, encouraged them to wash themselves, making sure that they did not get the soap in their eyes and also to make sure that they washed themselves properly in line with their intimate care plan. Also handed them a tooth brush with tooth paste to brush their teeth. After successfully completing their shower routine, they were assisted in dressing themselves up. After dressing up they were prompted to carry their dirty laundry and put it in the washing machine. After that the YP person was asked to sit in the lounge where another member of staff was with two other YPs.
6. Meds administration
After personal care I obtained the meds keys from the office where they are locked away for safety purposes due to the nature of some medications which are used by some of the YPs in the home. I administered their medication with another member of staff as a witness in line with company medical policies. This is to ensure that the correct medication was being administered to the correct YP. This particular YP only has a cream as medication and a gel. So I applied some of the cream to their hands and the gel on their face with hand over hand support. With the cream I encouraged them to massage the cream into the relevant parts of their hands as per the instructions on the MARR sheets that were given when the medication was prescribed by the Doctor.
7. Going to school
After medication had been administered we made sure that the school bags for the YP were ready and put into the bus. Also that all the YP are ready to start the journey to school. Some boarded the mini-bus and others the car and we all left for school.I obtained a shift phone from the office, this is a precaution in case there are any issues during the transition from the home to the school. This could be anything from a vehicle breakdown to behaviour from a YP whilst on the bus. As per the company policy, we are not permitted to carry our own personal mobile phones due to issues revolving around safeguarding and the protection of our YP’s. We arrived at school at 09.05. I escorted two of the YPs to their class and gave a verbal handover for the previous evening and for the morning, informing the Education staff of how the YPs had been whilst at the home and how they appeared to be currently. I also informed the staff about what the YPs had eaten for breakfast; this information is also written in a school handover book that is completed each morning.
8. Supporting them at school
That day I had to remain at school to give some support to the education staff. That day I was assigned to support one of the classes where one of our YP is attending. With the guidance from the class teacher, I supported one of the YP through the morning in doing tasks in class and during lunch time in the dining room. After my lunch break I was asked to support another YP where the main activities were to take him to the ICT room and after that to the outside gym. After that we went back to class where YPs did a collective activity in number work and listening to story reading.
9. Collecting the youths from school
At 1530, it was time for YPs to back home. I took handover for the YP who was in the class I was supporting. I collected his school bag and went to the sensory circus where we all assembly before starting our journey back. At the sensory circus room I and my colleagues we were given a handover from Education, to inform us of how the YPs had been throughout the day and whether there had been any issues, be it behavioural or medical and also if there had been any positive moments that could be relayed back to families and social workers. Upon returning to the home, the YP were assisted to change their clothes from school uniform to civilian clothes. Then we organised for all of the YP’s to have a healthy snack, which consisted of a piece of fruit and a drink. Handover was done by the shift leader to those staff who were not there in the morning and a late shift plan was drafted where I was to do evening meds, laundry and assist one of the YP with their personal care.
10 Evening activity
After snack I and other staff then discussed the activity for the evening which on this occasion would involve all of the YP’s visiting a local supermarket to purchase ingredients for them to participate in cooking their own evening meal. As I was walking with three of the YP the shop, I discussed the importance of eating healthy foods and the positive effects this can have on their general health and wellbeing. Before starting the cooking, I also discussed Health & Safety in the kitchen and how to look for possible danger (hot water/hot pans/sharp knives/cooking food properly) when working in the kitchen and the importance of tidying up after themselves. After one of the YP’s initially refused to partake in the actual preparation of their own meal, I explained to them that this is all part of their life skills program and we are trying to teach them independent living skills, whether it be cooking their own meals or doing their own laundry, and how this would benefit them when they eventually move onto an adult provision or supported living.
11. Evening routine
After the activity had finished and the YP’s had eaten their meals and enjoyed some time relaxing and doing things that they wanted to do, I then started the evening routines, personal care and medication. Before I could proceed with the administering of Medication process, I asked one of our YP’s to come for Medication, and they refused to take their medication. I explained that although they might not like actually taking their medication every day, they are to help them and that I would not force them to take any as this is their choice. I did, however, mention that I would be required to notify the local out of hours Doctor (111) to see if there would be any issue if they did refuse to take their medication and there would be need to inform their Social Worker and parents of their decision. I recorded the refusal on the daily MARRs sheet, this was also witnessed by a colleague along with all other medications that were given or taken without issue. I informed the shift leader who phoned the Doctor and also logged the telephone conversation with the doctor in the YP’s daily events book. The shift leader proceeded to telephone the YP’s parents and explain the situation and that we had sought medical advice. She also emailed the Social Worker of the YP in question to update them about the evening’s events. After this, I oversaw supper snack and again promoted healthy snack of fruit and a drink to the YPs.
12 going to bed
By 2140, all of the YP’s had settled in their own rooms, so we were able to complete the Daily Events Books for each YP, this helps us to keep a full and detailed record of our YP’s days from the moment they wake up, throughout their day right through until they settle in their rooms at night. The shift leader conducted a check to ensure all of our YP’s were in their own rooms, she checked that the grounds were secured ( all perimeter gates closed and bolted) and then locked the doors to the house, this is to keep the YP’s safe and enables the Night – staff to monitor the YP’s throughout the night.
13. Handing over to night staff
By 2145, all the Night-staff had arrived and the shift leader went through the shift handover book to update them on any issues that had arisen throughout the day. This is to ensure that the staffs coming on duty are able to assess the possibility of any negative behaviour from any of the YPs in the home and also to confirm that all YPs are onsite. At 22.00, I signed out of the staff register and the KRONOS machine and left the home for my home.
By
Sam Basil Magara
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