Sonia Kelly

Initially, employed for a care assistant position with NBU, followed by an eight year HCA position on St Vincent's ward. After that, a one year placement in OPD before commencing my current role in the Dermatology department.

Some duties have included but are not limited to:

• Escorting patients for tests or procedures within the hospital premises and to other medical facilities, whilst ensuring their safety and comfort.
• Collaborating with nurses to provide comprehensive patient care, ensuring a smooth recovery path.
• Providing emotional support to patients and their families during difficult times.
• Delivering high-quality patient service by maintaining cleanliness in wards.
• Maintaining stock levels of medical and pharmacy supplies on the ward/in clinic, ensuring uninterrupted provision of care services during shifts.
• Ensuring infection control measures are adhered to strictly for a safe environment for both staff and patients alike.
• Assisting patients with daily tasks and all aspects of personal care such as eating, bathing and dressing for an enhanced quality of life while retaining comfort and dignity.
• Assisting in patient care, improved comfort and well-being.
• Maintaining patient confidentiality at all times whilst performing duties as per data protection norms set down by the HSE for optimised patient care.
• Completing care documentation and monitored patient progress to achieve up-to-date records, when engaged in one to one supervisory care.
• Working professionally with caregiving teams and hospital departments to maintain continuity of care.
• Completing hygiene and safety audits in the ward/clinic on a monthly basis.
• Undertaking the role as safety representative and attending safety rep committee meetings.

Midwifery training required completion of hospital placements at The Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital in conjunction with studies at Trinity College Dublin. Completed were intensive placements in the following areas:

Delivery Suite, Postnatal Ward and Antenatal Ward

Responsibilities included but were not limited to:

• Delivering Holistic Care to all women and babies which is appropriate, safe and effective.
• Prioritising own workload.
• Working within the multidisciplinary team (MDT)
• Documenting all aspects of patient care with correct, concise, contemporaneous and clearly written information.
• Effective communication with women and within the MDT and collaborating with healthcare team to deliver high-quality patient care.
• Recognising emergency situations.
• Developing trusting relationships with patients, enhancing their comfort and satisfaction levels with the maternity service.
• Advocated for patients' rights within the healthcare setting, promoting a culture of respect and dignity.
• Enhancing patient understanding of postnatal care through clear communication and guidance.
• Attendeding professional development seminars regularly for continuous learning and growth.
• Providing emotional support during labour for improved patient experience.
• Working night shifts efficiently whilst ensuring consistent high standards of care.
• Supporting breastfeeding initiatives by educating new mothers on techniques and benefits.
• Conducting newborn assessments, identifying potential health concerns early on.
• Assessing maternal health during postnatal visits to detect complications early.
• Assisting in antenatal appointments, ensuring pregnant women received comprehensive care.
• Facilitating childbirth education classes to prepare expectant parents for labour and delivery.
• Coordinating discharge planning processes smoothly, ensuring patients felt confident about home care.
• Ensuring compliance with hospital policies and procedures at all times.
• Managing emergencies effectively by implementing appropriate interventions promptly.
• Adhering to hospital health and safety and patient confidentiality policies and procedures.
• Gaining experience supporting women in childbirth in variety of settings including at birth centres and midwife-led units.
• Delivering comprehensive, caring, research and evidence-based care to mothers and families.
• Aiding decision making and promoting informed consent by providing correct care and service information, health education and parenting advice.
• Dealing professionally and emphatically with emotionally charged situations with care.
• Providing basic health care and advice before, during and after pregnancy and childbirth.

Here, I was fully responsible for all aspects of care for two children, aged 3 and 5 years.

My primary responsibilities included but were not limited to:

• Coordinating play dates, fostering socialisation skills amongst peers.
• Promoting healthy eating habits by preparing nutritious snacks and meals.
• Creating stimulating environments that encouraged learning and exploration.
• Developing creative activities for enhanced mental stimulation.
• Communicating effectively with parents regarding child's day-to-day activities and behaviours.
• Facilitating nap times, helping children develop healthy sleep habits.
• Providing emotional support during periods of distress or discomfort.
• Establishing routines for improved time management skills in children.
• Managing emergencies efficiently, ensuring safety of all parties involved.
• Assisting with homework to enhance academic performance.
• Planning and guiding age-appropriate tasks, including reading, crafts, baking and games.
• Building trusted relationships with parents through high levels of care and communication.
• Assisting in light housework and laundry to reduce parents' workload.
• Carrying out dynamic risk assessments for continued child safety.

• Being responsible for Toddler room (2-3year olds) for six months, one year managing Tweenie room (1-2 year olds) and 1½ years managing Baby room (4mths-1 yr). Some time here was spent undertaking supervisory duties.

My responsibilities included but were not limited to:

• Implementing creative strategies for managing conflict between children, resulting in harmonious environment.
• Adapting childcare methods to cater for individual needs, enabling every child to thrive within creche setting.
• Completing necessary administrative tasks including attendance records and incident reports meticulously.
• Promoting effective communication with parents to keep them informed about their child's progress.
• Coordinating pick-up and drop-off times with parents, maintaining punctuality always.
• Encouraging positive behaviours using various recognition methods.
• Administering first aid promptly to minimise injuries during accidents or illnesses.
• Supervising outdoor activities ensuring safety at all time for peaceful mind of parents.
• Supporting children's emotional well-being by providing comfort during times of distress or anxiety.
• Collaborating closely with other staff members to provide consistent care approach across the board.
• Preparing craft materials encouraging creativity among children.
• Demonstrating empathy and understanding when dealing with challenging behaviour from children.
• Managing nap times efficiently to ensure each child had adequate rest.
• Maintaining cleanliness and hygiene in the play area, reducing risk of infection among children .
• Facilitating learning through play, promoting cognitive development in young learners.
• Feeding meals and helping children with personal hygiene needs and teaching young children to independently complete care tasks.
• Creating caring bonds with children for comfort and safety within creche.
• Practicing child protection and health and safety measures to comply with guidelines.
• Role modelling positive values and behaviours including table manners, conflict resolution and healthy eating.
• Developing positive, trusting relationships with groups of young children.
• Arranging for entertainment and games to provide downtime between learning activities.
• Organising classroom spaces to align with lessons and support children's learning.
• Applying positive reinforcement and disciplinary techniques to encourage and improve behaviour and guide social development.
• Dealing with new queries and addressing parent queries.
• Managing staff issues, liasing with management regarding duty roster, sick leave and annual leave queries.
• Maintaining petty cash account.