There are some areas where you can generally find work
I have to say, I never ever have found it hard to get work as an healthcare assistant. You can find a job in a residential or nursing home, or sometimes in hospitals. The money isn't that bad (I remember years ago earning over £160 for a night's work on a closed psych ward where I didn't have to even do anything minging) and if you have an ounce of compassion and some common sense you can learn to do it. There is a lot of opportunity for training and development, you learn a lot about people and life, it's good fun even when it's manky and it makes a real difference to the lives of others. Even if you do it as a stopgap it gives you something 'different' over all the other people who work part time at Tesco's on the shelf stacking night shift.

I do not understand why all the folk I've ever known who have been apparently 'desparate' for work, woudl not do it. Oh, unless they really do think it is beneath them, which I find a bit sad really.
(Clarabelle is reverting to type on, Mon 6 Apr 2009, 22:06, 6 replies)

But
you're (presumably) college-educated, accredited and trained, with field experience and a deep love for your job.

Not your typical dole-queue mainstay...
(blueberrypossum wants to Jaffa your Cake, Mon 6 Apr 2009, 22:34, closed)

No...
But then neither are most of the folk I know who are 'desperate' for work. I have had friends who are supposedly in that state, on the breadline, completely destitute etc, yet they won't do it. When I started as an HCA, I had literally NO experience whatsoever. It is not a hard job! But apparently it is 'not something that everyone can do'- I don't see why that is. Unless they are twats. Then I wouldn't want them near vulnerable people, obv.
(Clarabelle is reverting to type on, Mon 6 Apr 2009, 22:46, closed)

i just found it really hard emotionally
and yeah the messy stuff is nasty but i to tell the truth it near broke me. never learnt to distance myself.

much respect for those that can deal with it though.
(DreddPirateBob has watched every scifi film ever on, Mon 6 Apr 2009, 23:06, closed)

I'd re-scan that line, IIWY, dreddpiratebob
I'm sure you MEANT emotional distance from the 'messy' stuff!

blueberrypossum: I've been up to my unqualified armpits in incontinent old people. Larks! In the UK, if you are willing to 'wipe arse' then they are willing to let you!

One old dear was always cooperative if you spoke to her in a broad and enthusiastic somerset yokel accent: "come now moi loverlee, oi's rackenin cook be waitin' etc.
(CADmonkey rollllllllled another one, just like the other one, Mon 6 Apr 2009, 23:39, closed)

:D
yes.

i never learnt to distance myself from the emotional stuff. i would however roll around in the messy bum filth. nomnomnom
(DreddPirateBob has watched every scifi film ever on, Tue 7 Apr 2009, 7:53, closed)

HCA - a mixed bag
I spent three nights as a guest of the NHS last new years.

There were two healthcare assistants on the ward, one who was fabulously caring (the chap across from me was in pain and she sat with him and talked to him when he had no visitors) and the other was...well. Not.
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Tue 7 Apr 2009, 7:40, closed)