Melissa Jayne Nelson

Working for Nurse Maude, I continue to be a dedicated and compassionate community nurse whilst adjusting well moving and living in New Zealand. With my previous and present experience I continue to provide a high-quality healthcare service to all patients in their homes. It has been an amazing experience working in New Zealand. It has enabled me to enhance my skills and knowledge even further.

I have attend many different training courses, acquired how to do infusions such as, flush PICC lines and Hickman lines, take blood via a line, administer prescribed medication through an infusion, change the dressings using aseptic technique and remove PICC lines within a community setting, following all policies and procedures. Working within the community setting I have conducted assessments and provided nursing care to patients in their homes. Involving wound care, medication administration such as administering injections or oral medications, diabetic management, bowel management, catheter management, palliative support visits and monitoring vital signs.

I have an increased knowledge on chronic disease managements supporting patients with long-term health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and respiratory illnesses. I have helped patients by educating them, providing the reassurance and helped manage their symptoms, lifestyle changes, and monitored disease progression. I have also, educated patients about healthy living practices, preventive healthcare measures, and disease prevention strategies.

Throughout working for Nurse Maude I have been collaborating with other healthcare professionals, including general practitioners, specialists, social workers, and community support services, to ensure patients receive comprehensive and coordinated care. I continue to act as advocates for patients, ensuring their needs are met and their voices are heard within the healthcare system. Working in the community in a fast paced environment my assessments, and new referrals are completed with accuracy and all vital information. Conducting comprehensive assessments of patients health needs and making referrals to other healthcare providers or services as necessary. I continue to maintain accurate and up-to-date records of patient assessments, care plans, and interventions in accordance with legal and professional standards.

I am an enthusiastic, motivated, qualified nurse that previously worked as a community nurse for the NHS in the United Kingdom and now living in New Zealand. I have been qualified three years October coming. I began my career working as a community nurse where I completed my preceptorship and gained the correct experience, vital knowledge and skills around palliative patients, end of life care and support, safe guarding, catheter care, diabetics, wound care, long term illnesses and acute conditions and clinically and holistically assessed all patients.

I have gained a vast amount of experience working with specialist teams such as specialist palliative nurses, tissue viability and vascular teams to give me the up to date knowledge and to prevent and heal pressure sores. I have been on various courses to help categorize pressure sores accurately, how to manage pressure sores and how to prevent them. When it comes to the skin, pressure sore and moisture damage prevention is a big priority within my job role in community care.

Throughout my career and working in the covid-19 pandemic, I have gained a range of knowledge and skills working with in a fast pace environment that have helped me to become the nurse I am today. During this time, I built therapeutic relationships with patients and their families. I work along side patients families, providing re assurance and maintaining professional relationships is what I do every day. I often receive great feedback from patients and their families.

I have time management and great team work ethic as this was key to managing a case load of patients with a fast turnaround in the community. I developed skills on prioritising, delegation and leadership skills and managing my own case load of patients. Within this role I also, allocated the calls for each team member and managed unplanned and new patients on a daily basis. This requires me to book patients visits in, set frequent care plans and making sure the patients meet the criteria and the referrals are appropriate. Although I work well with in a team, I am also able to use my own initiative. I have the correct understanding around the clinical assessment of a patient, management of acute conditions and long term illness and the importance of prioritising, such as crisis and unplanned visits. I have a high amount of awareness and skills around the management of wounds including leg ulcers, skin tears, pressure ulcers and moisture damage and recognising deterioration in patients, escalating to management, 111 or 999 and managing symptoms present.

I am an approachable, caring individual and I am very passionate about nursing. I am a very hard working individual and I use my own initiative when managing a case load of patients in a team and or individually. Working with in the community I accomplished a variety of skills around clinical decision making; assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating care. I am confident in working alone with my patients when in their own home. Even though it may be a call for wound care, I have attended patients houses and they have been unwell. I have to think on my feet and manage their care holistically, symptomatically and immediately. I have excellent decision-making skills and have the ability to act quickly and effectively with in an emergency situation. I work fully around patient centred care, being an advocate for my patients, promoting autonomy at all times. I always work hard to maintain dignity, ensuring the patients are well presented.

Throughout my nursing practice, I have maintained professionalism and practiced in line with the NMC Code, trust policies and I have kept up to date with NICE guidelines and implementing the key elements of the 6 C’s at all times. Through out, I have kept up to date with policies and legal guidelines and understand what is expected of me within the profession. I am aware of the importance of accurate documentation complying with NMC, NCNZ guidelines and trust policies. During my career I have also, gained a range of transferrable skills and knowledge which has helped me to progress into a valuable, competent nurse. I have gained skills around patient centred care, ensuring the patient comes first. I am eager to learn new skills and adapt to change. I will continue to progress my knowledge and skills throughout my career. I have excellent communication skills that I have developed through out my career.