You can take on many roles in the care industry, from working in a home for elderly people to visiting them at their homes to provide care. Working in a home for the elderly can present many challenges but it is also one of your most rewarding and fulfilling jobs. You’re helping the most vulnerable members of society to achieve a better quality of life.
If you are thinking about your next career step and wondering what skills and qualifications you will need to work in a nursing home, then read on.
Table of Contents
Compassion and Empathy
Compassion is the most important quality to have when working in care. Simply put, you must care. Care seekers often face loneliness, isolation, and health problems, and can become bored. These factors can affect their mental health. You’ll be spending time every day listening and interacting with each person.
When working in the care industry, empathy is a very useful skill. Empathy will not only show residents and their families that you care about them, but will also make you a better worker. After all, when you walk a mile into someone else’s shoes you will be able understand their perspective and build a relationship with them.
People Skills and Communication
You’ll be spending a lot of time in your care home talking to residents and their families, as well as your co-workers. Being able to interact confidently with people will help you to succeed. You may have to deal with difficult situations or sensitive topics. Good people skills can help you navigate these scenarios.
Communication skills are just as important as people skills. However, communication doesn’t always mean talking. You may be working with people who are unable to speak due to health issues. To avoid missing anything, it’s important to listen, respond and communicate with the residents’ family and friends.
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Leadership and Independence
You may have to lead or manage different team members depending on the level you are at. Care home managers, for example, are responsible to run the home on a daily basis, which includes creating a staff rotation that makes sure everyone is at the right place.
You may have some independence, even though staff in care homes usually work together and report to the manager. You will spend a lot of time assessing situations and making decisions on your own. If you are confident in this area, you can make an excellent care worker. Don’t worry if you’re not sure if this is what you want to do yet. With time and experience, you can learn a lot of new skills.
Positive Attitude and Passion
A positive and friendly attitude is important in any career, even if the work can be difficult at times. Your positive attitude will not only make the residents and their families happier, but also your co-workers.
Passion for caring is another important quality. It is often the drive to succeed that makes the difference. Sometimes, it is valued even more than training and qualifications.
Time Management and Flexibility
It is not uncommon to feel like you are needed at two different places simultaneously when you work in a nursing home. A good time management system will allow you to stick to your daily schedule and ensure that everything is completed on time.
As a care worker, you may be required to perform a variety tasks every day with different people. It is important to be flexible to move quickly from one task into another, and to be ready to help if needed. If you are needed to cover for someone, you may be asked to perform different tasks than your usual role. You will gain an edge if you can seamlessly switch between different tasks and roles.
Organisation and Reliability
You’ll need to be able to stay organised when you have so many tasks every day. Some care homes have hundreds of residents that need support, companionship, medication, and care. You’ll find that if you are organised, you can stay on top of all your daily tasks, whether it’s taking medication to the residents, helping at mealtimes or organising activities and trips.
As part of their work, care workers must be 100 percent reliable. You will be a lifeline to vulnerable individuals who are looking for care, support and company. This is especially true if there is no family or friend nearby. So, you need to prove that you’re reliable and can complete tasks on time. Consistent daily routines calm and reassure while interruptions can cause distress and agitation.
Problem-solving and keeping a cool head
You never know what will happen when you work in an institution with many residents. Some situations can become difficult when you add a stretched health and social care system and time constraints to the mix. It is important to stay calm and cool in stressful situations to resolve the problem as quickly as possible.
Problem solving is also a useful skill in the care environment. You may be faced with challenges that require you to think logically and calmly to solve. For example, you might need to decide how to best treat a patient who has a specific health condition.
Resilience and patience
You’ll need patience and resilience to handle the challenges of care home life. Thick skin may not be necessary, but it can help you do your job better. Be patient and learn to roll with the inevitable.
A sense of humor and a desire to learn
A willingness to learn, even if you do not have a degree or experience in the care industry, is attractive to potential employers. Care workers often study on the job and can access additional training as they advance. You will be well-positioned in an interview if you demonstrate that you are eager to learn.
While we’ve heard that ‘laughter’ is the best medicine, it’s not always true. A cheerful, happy, and friendly disposition can do wonders for a care home. It may be the highlight for care home residents to see them smile or laugh.
Respect for professionalism
You will stand out from other candidates when you demonstrate that you are professional in your approach to the job. Care work requires the ability to maintain high standards of care, while adhering to moral and ethical codes.
