COVID-19 My daughter the care work angel

PigglePuggle

PigglePuggle

Senior Guinea Pig
Joined
Apr 20, 2018
Messages
10,510
Reaction score
40,109
Points
2,175
Location
Liverpool
My daughter just sent me this photo of herself at work:IMG_20200514_0916451.webp
Today is the first day after 7 weeks of lockdown my daughter has been offered PPE at work, she's happy to get some at last... but as you can see it doesnt fit her its far too big :(
She was working in a day centre running nice occupational therapy activities for people with severe mental health problems and learning disabilities, but when the day centre closed with lockdown she was moved to work in residential care. Some of her patients spit, bite and sometimes throw poo through no fault of their own and most don't have the capability to understand social distancing.
7 weeks with no PPE then there's a suspected covid-19 case so PPE that doesnt fit is issued... and my daughter still goes to work every day, gets spat on and bitten and randomly hugged by her patients, she loves her job!
She's an absolute angel, I'm so proud of her, worried but proud!
 
With the apron, she needs to rip the neck and then tie it so it sits higher. That’s the standard plastic apron in use across the nhs and that is the advice we’ve been given. It also means that you aren’t pulling it down over your face. To remove, rip the neck, fold it down, rip the waist ties, touching the inside rather than th3 exposed outside. She needs to wash or gel her hands before putting it on and between each stage of removal. So take off gloves, wash hands. Take off apron, wash hands. When taking off goggles, wash hands and then before and after taking off the mask. Unless told otherwise the masks and goggles can be left on with just apron and gloves changed between clients.

Her mask needs to be fitted over her nose a bit better. Smooth it down over the nose so there are no gaps and then smooth down the sides. Then do not touch it again until removal.

The crucial crucial crucial thing is hand washing and not touching your face!
 
PigglePuggle said:
My daughter just sent me this photo of herself at work:View attachment 142270
Today is the first day after 7 weeks of lockdown my daughter has been offered PPE at work, she's happy to get some at last... but as you can see it doesnt fit her its far too big :(
She was working in a day centre running nice occupational therapy activities for people with severe mental health problems and learning disabilities, but when the day centre closed with lockdown she was moved to work in residential care. Some of her patients spit, bite and sometimes throw poo through no fault of their own and most don't have the capability to understand social distancing.
7 weeks with no PPE then there's a suspected covid-19 case so PPE that doesnt fit is issued... and my daughter still goes to work every day, gets spat on and bitten and randomly hugged by her patients, she loves her job!
She's an absolute angel, I'm so proud of her, worried but proud!
Click to expand...
Give your daughter a hug from me.
I've helped at a mental hospital and know how hugs and loving is very important to some.. .
Massive :clap: :yahoo::clap:from me.
 
She’s an angel! You would think they should have got this PPE sorted by now, your daughters job is difficult enough without the added danger of no or ill fitting PPE, it’s dreadful. Sending Bugs hugs too, she is doing an amazing job there
 
Yes its tricky with PPE in such short supply even for the NHS, and my daughter is extremely petite, nothing designed for adults ever fits her properly- but as she's currently the only staff member on site every day qualified to give medication and take temperatures and do triage mental health assessments she has to see all the residents daily, so you might have thought she deserved at least a box of size XS gloves in her size!
 
PigglePuggle said:
Yes its tricky with PPE in such short supply even for the NHS, and my daughter is extremely petite, nothing designed for adults ever fits her properly- but as she's currently the only staff member on site every day qualified to give medication and take temperatures and do triage mental health assessments she has to see all the residents daily, so you might have thought she deserved at least a box of size XS gloves in her size!
Click to expand...
yes, I can imagine eye masks not fitting if you are small, I’ve always had trouble when snorkelling finding a mask that fits and doesn’t let water in. It must be a huge worry for you x
 
Tigermoth said:
With the apron, she needs to rip the neck and then tie it so it sits higher. That’s the standard plastic apron in use across the nhs and that is the advice we’ve been given. It also means that you aren’t pulling it down over your face. To remove, rip the neck, fold it down, rip the waist ties, touching the inside rather than th3 exposed outside. She needs to wash or gel her hands before putting it on and between each stage of removal. So take off gloves, wash hands. Take off apron, wash hands. When taking off goggles, wash hands and then before and after taking off the mask. Unless told otherwise the masks and goggles can be left on with just apron and gloves changed between clients.

Her mask needs to be fitted over her nose a bit better. Smooth it down over the nose so there are no gaps and then smooth down the sides. Then do not touch it again until removal.

The crucial crucial crucial thing is hand washing and not touching your face!
Click to expand...
Thanks so much @Tigermoth I txted your advice to my daughter and she is adjusting her mask and apron fittings like you suggest ready for the afternoon medication round :)
 
Thanks everyone, I think she's doing amazing stuff, especially as with her having previously done an awful year long stint in a CQC "failing" residential care home for autistic teenagers (with poor management and awful care regimes and a daily battle of physically restraining young men twice her size) that after her maternity break she deliberately opted for the occupational therapy side of things running wheelchair dance classes and arts and crafts afternoons and trips to the park... only to be shunted back into residential care under lockdown after only a month in her new job!
 
PigglePuggle said:
Thanks so much @Tigermoth I txted your advice to my daughter and she is adjusting her mask and apron fittings like you suggest ready for the afternoon medication round :)
Click to expand...
Brilliant. I’ve spent a huge amount of my time over the last few weeks reminding my team of this!

She can post another picture and hopefully you’ll feel better that more of her is covered xx

Shes doing a great job.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top