This is the day in the life of Emily, care Assistant at Dove House.

Hello my name is Emily Ballinger
Date started at Dove House: 8th August 2022

Did you start in the position you are in now? Yes, I have always been a care assistant here.

What attracted you to join the Dove House team? My granny and grandad had used the services here at the hospice, from day therapy to symptom control. They both received end of life care and died at the Dove House. Experiencing the hospice as a family member before working here gave me an insight into how families are supported and cared for which I wanted to give back to others.
 
What was the first thing that struck you about Dove House when you came for the first time? Is that the same now or has it changed over the years? If so, why? Seeing the care that every single staff member gave to patients, family, and friends was truly outstanding and inspiring. The patient-centered care that was given at the hospice was unique and bespoke to each patient which is what I truly felt passionate about and wanted to demonstrate in my own work practice in care.
 
What do you feel makes Dove House special? How everyone is treated equally and respectfully no matter what and that no job is too big or small here. The special moments we can provide for families, for example, a young family whose dad was a patient at the hospice wanted to have a movie night, staff pulled together, turned one of the rooms into their very own cinema complete with a paper red-carpet, pull-out beds for a sleepover, a sweet and snack tray and milkshakes, they chose to watch Moana together! It was a really special moment and brought a tear to my eye.
What do you look forward to each day? Working with an outstanding team who help each other through the good and difficult times, we all work amazingly well together and we all have different backgrounds and experiences within the workplace which brings great qualities to the hospice. Talking to the patients is also one of my highlights as you can really get to know a person and can really ease a patient into the hospice who might be anxious.
 
What are the amazing moments that stand out for you in your day that make a difference to you, your patients, and your team? Finding out that a little small gesture can really put a smile on someone’s face, just like our staff shout out boards! Being able to sit with a patient’s 5 year old daughter and make a “pink and pretty” picture for her daddy!
 
What does a typical day look like for you? I come on shift in the morning and will attend a handover. During the morning I work with my team to provide bed baths, showers, and baths to patients. We will help dress patients who want to be dressed for the day and blow dry hair! We do all of this while filling out relevant paperwork to ensure patients receive the most outstanding care. Myself, the other care assistants, and nurses will regularly meet together throughout the day to talk about what we have done to ensure everything is communicated as it should be. In the afternoon we also talk about what we have done, what has gone well, what we could have done better etc. as part of our own reflective practice as a team.
 
What do you think are the biggest achievements you have accomplished while working at Dove House? Completing my care certificate, I couldn’t have done it without the support from my colleagues and my amazing mentor Gill! Completing my care certificate has definitely given me the push to start my nurse training which I start in May this year.
 
Working at a hospice can have its emotional times when days/patients are harder than others. What gets you through these? Talking to each other and taking a few moments to breathe and think about ourselves. We always know where we can find support if we need it. We all look after each other here and we always have chocolate to keep us going!
 
What are your hopes for your future at Dove House? I start my Health and Social Care university certificate in May this year which is my first step before applying for my full-time Nursing degree September 2025. I will be sad to leave the hospice next year but I am excited to learn and train to be a nurse, I would love to come back here and work as a nurse so who knows!