On International Nurses Day 2022 we’re celebrating the amazing nurses who go above and beyond to deliver outstanding care to children and young adults with vision impairment, complex needs and life-limiting health conditions.
Nursing at InFocus
Nursing as part of preparation for adulthood
Many of the young people supported by InFocus have significant healthcare needs. These young people will likely need to continue to take medication and receive regular care and monitoring throughout their lives.
Being able to self-medicate could open up more independent accommodation options for the future, like supported living.
Helen Jenkins, Head of Health and Therapy
This means a focus on supporting them to be responsible for their own medication as much as possible. It might mean learning how to identify different packets using Braille or symbols, or supporting someone to understand when to take a particular medication (and when not to!). Being able to self-medicate could open up more independent accommodation options for the future, like supported living.
Running clinics on a trampoline or in the Hydrotherapy pool
Our approach is to support these young adults with their health needs throughout the day, but without letting it get in the way of their lives.
For example, we try and reduce any anxiety around seeing the nurse by holding clinics in places that our young people are most comfortable.
Some might be happy coming to our onsite health centre, but we will often go out to see them in places and situations where they are calm, and enjoying their day. In recent days this has meant checking someone’s stitches whilst they were enjoying a rest lying on a trampoline, and getting into the Hydrotherapy pool to follow up with another student!
Why is nursing at InFocus special?
The young people at InFocus get to spend time with the nursing team in a range of different settings, not just the health centre. The nurses might come to a classroom session, or spend time in a sensory story or in the residential accommodation. It all helps to normalise seeing the nurses, just like the rest of the multi-disciplinary team.
What is International Nurses Day?
International Nurses Day is celebrated around the world every May 12, the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth.
In the UK the Royal College of Nursing is celebrating the incredible difference nursing staff make to patients’ lives across the UK by sharing stories showcasing the very #BestOfNursing.
