Organisation: St John of God Health Care
Job Title: Endorsed Enrolled Nurse
Word Limit: 2 pages total
Location: Berwick
As a confident and clinically competent nursing professional on the verge of completing my Diploma of Nursing qualification, I am enthusiastic about commencing my career as an Endorsed Enrolled Nurse (EEN). Upon completion of my diploma, I will hold medication endorsement and be eligible to apply for registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
An opportunity to join the St John of God Health Care team is an opportunity to commence my nursing career with an organisation whose values and mission align well with my own personal and professional philosophy. One of the key reasons that I have chosen to pursue a career as a Nurse is so that I can make a difference to the lives of those under my care, no matter how small my input seems, and no matter how short or long a time they are under my care. The core values of Hospitality, Compassion, Respect, Justice and Excellence resonate with me both personally and professionally.
During my clinical placement at Somercare in Somerville, myself, two other student nurses and our Clinical Facilitator found ourselves looking for ways to assist other staff as we had finished our work for the day. We were asked to take an additional blanket to a palliative care patient, and upon entering the room we found the patient distressed, disoriented and lying on a damp bed. It was clear she had not been recently bathed, and her nails were very long with faecal matter under them. As a team, we set to work improving the situation for the patient by changing her sheets, giving her a sponge bath, and cleaning and cutting her nails. Before leaving the patient, we opened her curtains and positioned her so she could look out into the garden for the afternoon. She smiled in thanks as we left the room, and rested calmly for the remainder of the day. As a Student Nurse, this experience demonstrated to me the difference a nurse can make to someone’s life through good nursing care. As an Endorsed Enrolled Nurse on the St John of God Health Care team, I will strive to care for each of my patients in the way that is most appropriate for them and increases their quality of life wherever possible.
My communication skills are well-developed, and I pride myself on my ability to create therapeutic relationships with my patients, and strong professional partnerships with family members and multidisciplinary teammates. Whilst completing my clinical placements in Rehabilitation and Sub‑Acute Medications at Rosebud Hospital, I was able to take on my own patient workload. Alongside the Registered Nurse (RN) I was working with each day, I planned and implemented care for four of the six patients allocated to us for the day. In my planning, I aimed to keep tasks as fluid and flexible as possible to allow for integration of any unexpected occurrences or urgent patient needs. At the time of my Rehabilitation placement, I was not yet able to administer medications, so the RN and I worked in tandem with her conducting all of the medication preparation and gaining appropriate sign-off, whilst I conducted a full set of vital signs, checked patient’s blood sugar levels, reviewed care plans and made comprehensive patient notes. By maintaining strong communication, the RN and I ensured that we worked efficiently and effectively to deliver patient care and drive positive patient outcomes. Additionally, where appropriate, I worked with other students to deliver the best patient experience. For example, one student was not confident in wound care, so I assisted her during this process and later on, she assisted me in catheterising a patient. Working as a team and respecting one another’s strengths and challenges ensured the best care was delivered to patients. This example demonstrates my effective written and verbal communication skills, my ability to plan and organise my tasks and my capacity to work successfully within a team environment.
Throughout my career, I have worked within the boundaries of various legislation, including occupational health and safety (OHS), and food hygiene. I have a strong understanding of the legislation and standards that govern nursing, and have at all times remained within my scope of practice as a Student Enrolled Nurse, as well as practicing in accordance to the policies and procedures of the facility where I am working.
During my clinical placement at Rosebud Hospital, there was an infection control audit occurring that involved the review of hand washing. As this coincided with OHS and infection control, I was very interested in the audit process and associated compliance issues and concerns. My discussion with the Auditor revealed her views that staff were compliant when they were being observed, but non‑complaint during the regular course of their daily work. However, I conducted my own observations and found that staff I worked alongside at Rosebud Hospital did follow the “5 moments of Hand Hygiene” protocols.
Additionally while at Rosebud Hospital, I was working with a RN in attempting to change the sheets on the bed of a very large patient. The RN asked me to slide the patient up the bed while she obtained the sheets, however I felt uncomfortable doing this alone due to the risk of injury to myself and the patient. The RN became agitated by my request of help, however I was unwilling to risk injuring myself and the patient for the sake of saving a few minutes. I found a slide sheet and a student nurse and experienced RN who were willing to assist me, and together we slid the patient up the bed so that the sheets could be changed successfully. My insistence that safety protocols be adhered to ensured that the risk of injury to staff, including myself, and the patient was minimised. These examples showcase my understanding of legislation and standards in relation to OHS and compliance.
My strong background in customer service-based roles across both retail and hospitality settings have provided me with a strong customer-focused foundation from which to develop my nursing practice. Whilst working in the Rehabilitation unit during my clinical placement at Rosebud Hospital, I was told during patient handover that one of my patients had been refusing to shower on a daily basis, saying he only showers on Fridays. As this was Friday, I decided to go and speak with the patient to see if I could get him to shower or work out what his barrier to personal hygiene was so that I could assist him. After introducing myself as his student nurse for the day, I asked if he would like to shower before or after breakfast. The patient informed me that he only showers on Thursdays, so I left that aspect of the conversation and sought to find out a bit more about him. While taking his vital signs, I struck up a conversation with him about his life and family. He explained to me that he had had a falling out with his daughter and there was no other family in his life. Throughout our conversation, I could tell the patient was relaxed and enjoying talking about his life, so I broached to subject of showering again. He said he was sick of women asking him to shower, so I asked if he would shower with the assistance of a male nurse. He explained that he had no one to bring him clean clothes. I reassured him that I would obtain some clean clothes for him to wear, which I did while a male nurse from the unit assisted him to have a shower. Following our conversation, I let the RN I was working with know and she arranged a social worker to visit him so he could be assisted with his lack of support. My work with this patient displays my strong customer focus and my analytical skills in identifying and addressing key patient issues.
Having developed a strong base of knowledge from both my studies and the clinical placements that I have completed throughout my studies, I am committed to continuing the development of my nursing practice and look forward to pursuing professional development throughout my nursing career. During my diploma studies, I have participated in all learning opportunities available to me, including attending seminars and in-services where possible. In the future, I hope to pursue a Bachelor of Nursing to further develop my practice.
