smart women
84
December 2019 | REDONLINE.CO.UKWO
RDS:^EL
LADOVEHOW I
GOT HERE
N
ikki Trewern was 14 when she got
her first job in a care home as a cleaner.
After moving into a carer role at the
age of 16, she went on to study nursing
at Bournemouth University. She joined
Bupa as a bank nurse in 2006, and
has since worked at Queensmount Care Home in
Bournemouth, becoming manager in 2014.
I’VE ALWAYS LOVED CARING FOR THE ELDERLY. When I finished
my nursing diploma, I got a job on a medical ward for
the elderly at Royal Bournemouth Hospital. Seeing
my patients progress with the right medication and
physiotherapy support was hugely rewarding.
I MOVED INTO A CARE HOME ROLE WHEN I BECAME A PARENT.
I loved working in hospitals, but there were a lot of night
shifts. In 2006, after my second child was born, I got
a job at Bupa’s Queensmount Care Home to give me
more flexibility for childcare. Soon afterwards, I was
promoted to a senior nursing role.
THE CARE HOME ENVIRONMENT IS NOT JUST ABOUT NURSING.
It’s about making sure each resident has a safe and
supportive environment, that they’re being socially
stimulated and that they’re getting contact with the
outside world. While staff administer medication
and change dressings, they also book appointments,
encourage friendships and support families.
BAD MANAGEMENT TEACHES VALUABLE LESSONS. As
a teenager, I’d watch the matrons and think, ‘I could
do better than that’ – but I never actually believed
I would. While a good manager can mentor you, there’s
also something to be said for working with people who
are not so effective, because that really motivates you.
IN 2014, I BECAME MANAGER OF QUEENSMOUNT CARE HOME.
I manage a team of 70 members of staff, and there can be
up to 49 residents. It’s easy to get sucked into the business
side, but when I’m having a stressful day, I turn my
computer off and I go and sit with my residents. It brings
me back to why I went into care in the first place- I’m a nurse in my heart.
MY PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENT IS OUR OUTSTANDING CQC
INSPECTION. We are one of only four nursing homes
in England to be rated as outstanding in all areas by
the Care Quality Commission. My vision is to create
a caring culture where all residents are happy, supported
and involved. Little things can make a huge difference,
from creating an indoor plant trolley so even the frailest
of residents can try out gardening, to buying lightweight
pans to ensure everyone can enjoy flipping pancakes
on Shrove Tuesday.ANYTHING WE CAN DO, WE WILL DO. Whether people
are with us for a week for respite or whether they’ve
sold their property and moved in for the rest of their
lives, from the moment someone walks through the
door, I want them to feel like this is their home. We
have an open-door visiting policy and families are
always welcome to join residents for meals or stay
with us overnight, too. Last year, we trialled some
comfort boxes for relatives, including toiletries and
fluffy bed socks – small touches that bring reassurance
when you’re away from your own home.CARE DOESN’T STOP AT CHRISTMAS. My deputy and I work
alternate Christmases, and the atmosphere in the home is
lovely. It’s beautifully decorated, we have a silver service
Christmas buffet and local school children come and sing
carols to residents. When I hear them singing Away In A
Manger, it brings a lump to my throat. It makes me think,
‘I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.’Nikki Trewern, manager of Bupa’s Queensmount Care
Home in Bournemouth, reflects on her career in care‘WHEN I’M HAVING
A STRESSFUL DAY,
I GO AND SIT WITH
MY RESIDENTS’