FrAnCh in Southampton

Work Shadowing @RRT - Anna/ Visit at the Children's Service and Learning Center

Workshadowing

When we were visiting the Rapid Response Team in the morning, Harvinder, a male nurse took me with him after the meeting to see two patients. We drove there with his private car and he explained me that he would get the expenses for the fuel back, of course.
Like Christina, I was also worried if the patients would mind me coming with the nurse, but Harvinder explained me that they're used to it (actually the patients didn't mind, and both of them thought that I was a nursing student..)
The first patient was an old man suffering from arthritis who has to bear lots of pain. This visit showed me that the reality for an old person often looks very depressing, containing lots of diseases and loneliness.
But I also have to say that the second visit really brightened me up. It was at a very very old and nice lady who manages her life almost independently - even at her high age, and she seems to be very happy with that. It gives me hope again that age doesn't necessarily mean illness and a loss of dignity.
At noon Harvinder drove me back to the City Council again. After this morning I have to say that I really admire him for his patiency and his tender care with the patients.

Visit at the Children's Service and Learning Center

Just as we had come back from the RRT we already had to leave to move to the bus who would bring us to the Children's Service and Learning Center.
As we arrived there, a bunch of papers containing information was already laying on our chairs. We looked at the agenda and thought that this would be a tough afternoon - and we should remain right. There were five presentations waiting to be held.
But first Deb Appelbee welcomed us all and introduced us the Children's Services and Learning Center. After that, Kim Willis told us something about the Children Assessment Team which is dealing wiht business, legislation and processes. Marilyn Laurie & Dep Appelbee presented us the Supporting Children Team, Di Hyam, Lesley Firth and Grant Williams the Family Resources.
What was going to happen then no one from us would have expected probably. Sheila McCarthy, Angela Martin, Angela McDale, Vanda Leigh and Dorenda Matthews from the Foster Care and Residential involved us into a role play where we re-enacted a case study. With a piece of wire we had to build connections between us (each of us played a role of the case) and talk about our feelings.
At the end of this afternoon John Pike and his collegue presented us the Pathways - when a child is leaving the care.
With a head filled - or almost crowded - with information we took the bus home.
We spent the evening by working for our project.

posted by Anna @ 11:57 pm