A Day in the Life of Samantha Shelton Senior Healthcare Assistant)

A Day in the life of Samantha Shelton – Senior Healthcare Assistant)

5.30-Alarm goes off to the ring tone of Elton johns “I’m still standing”, I have a word with myself , although I am worn out, bags under eyes, stressed to the limit I am in actual fact still standing so that is a bonus!

6.00- I sit bolt upright from lying down as I realise I have actually nodded back off to sleep for half-hour. I am immediately anxious and stressed but I don’t actually start work until 8.30am. I haven’t organised my son, he is only sixteen years old and I have to give him his breakfast before I take him on 6 mile journey to the horse stables before I go to work.

6.10- quick cuppa, hoover and mop kitchen floor, peg washing out, put some more washing in the machine and it’s all good with the world.

6.30-get my little lad up , put his breakfast on table, pick his underpants up off floor and remove all wet towels off the bed, (ill sort that when I get home!)

6.40- get quick shower, dressed, bit of mascara and lippy, put sons packed lunch up for the day (ignore the lunch needs of my husband – he’s big enough to do his own!)

7.10- nag son to hurry up as I need to set off at 7.30am and he is actually on an important call to his mate!

7.30- Set off, drop my son off (phew) then on to work. As I drive to work I wonder what will be waiting for me; I love my job and I have some lovely patients (my work mates are ok too I suppose) but I’m so stressed today I can’t seem to smile. Talk to myself, paint a smile on as a huge part of my job is making others happy and being as helpful as I possibly can.

8.30am -Arrive at work to a lovely cuppa already made for me and let the Practice Manager know I am actually 15 minutes early (just in case she missed it!). Then a voice I have heard many times calls me “I know your busy Sam but I’m not very well, there are no appointments, and would you do my blood pressure for me and my wife’s blood test at the same time so I don’t have to trail back. I put my bag and coat down and gladly assist as I try and put myself in the patient’s shoes, I too may need help at some point.

8.45- Blood clinic for 1 hour, 3 extra patients added to the list which need blood samples this morning, I don’t mind if it needs doing it needs doing that’s my moto. My clinic is running late and I’m supposed to start my general clinic at 10.am but the GP has asked me to do an urgent ECG for a patient with chest pain. He worsens and the doctor then advises me to call ambulance. I do this and explain to a waiting room full of patients that I have an emergency and am running late, if they could bear with me they will be seen or if they prefer they can rebook. 10.15- All my patients decided to wait, most understood which helps and I gradually work my way through them all. By now the District Nurse is here and needs the same room as me, I’m struggling for space to perform ECG’s, bloods, BP, NHS health checks, new patient health checks and breath tests!!! Oh heck I can hear Vicky shouting for me to move stock out of reception, Cathy asking me to order more stock and in the middle of all this I have only gone and forgot to order my colleague Tippy’s micropore! Never mind she’ll ring me tonight and remind me! I love working with Janet Tipling we have known each other a long time.

11.30- I know I have forgot something - arghh that’s it record the fridges, change the sharps bins, send 20 letters out for childhood vaccinations, never mind I’ll do it now it won’t take long. I’ll go find a computer, BUT there is no computer for me to work from.

I suggest maybe a receptionist would like to go for lunch whilst I borrow their computer for 10 minutes! My good friend Emma Watts doesn’t usually have lunch as she only works 7am- 5.30! but on this occasion she’s grateful of the rest so many patients at the desk now and so little time.

12.00- Dinner time a chance to eat my sandwich while discussing with practice nurse what’s left to do.

1pm-5.30 pm- Back to work a full clinic of bloods, ECG’s, etc, etc and a nice bottle of wine thrown in by a lovely patient who was so grateful for the care she received from me, now that makes it all worthwhile. It’s nice to know that there are many caring, lovely people out there who understand you try your very best for them.

6-00pm-10.00pm - cook tea, clean house go to bed around 9.30pm to rest my swollen feet which I have been on all day, oh I nearly forgot to say goodnight to my husband and kids, I shout downstairs goodnight all, lay there for 10 minutes analysing the day and realise there’s nowhere else I’d rather be, Goodnight we’ll do it all again tomorrow