Empowering Aging with Compassionate Care
The Remarkable Role of the Brightwater at Home Nursing Team
They are one of the powerhouse teams making up the Brightwater at Home service, working alongside our Care Support Workers, allied health and administration teams. All focused on helping our clients reach their personal goals.
In celebration of the recent International Nurses Day, we sat down with the service lead, Helen Maxwell, to learn more about who they are, what they do, and what they love about their team.
Who are the Brightwater at Home nursing team?
The Brightwater at Home nursing team comprises myself, 16 registered nurses and one very experienced enrolled nurse. All of our nurses come from a diverse background with a wealth of experience from different specialty areas. They all enjoy community nursing as it allows them the privilege of working with people in their own homes with enough time to provide good quality nursing care.
We are a very supportive team, who love to work collaboratively and celebrate each other’s successes.
What does the team aim to achieve and what do they do to achieve it?
The nursing team is focused on achieving better health outcomes for our clients. We work to achieve this through our large list or services including:
- Simple or complex wound care
- Health assessments
- Advice and support
- Diabetes and chronic disease advice and support
- Medication support and management
- Welfare checks
- And much more.
Some clients are with Brightwater at Home for a shorter period of time after leaving hospital. Our focus with them is to work with the greater Brightwater at Home team to support these clients in their reablement and to feel independent in their own homes again.
Our longer-term Brightwater at Home clients may need intermittent nursing support as different issues arise. We work with the broader Brightwater at Home team to address each issue as it arises.
No matter the situation, the Brightwater at Home nursing team always works collaboratively with all of our teams for a truly person-centred approach to each individual.
Why do the nursing team love their jobs?
My team enjoy the autonomy and the variety of each day. Being a community nurse mean they get to spend the time and have the resources to provide a great service to the community. Knowing they can truly make a difference for each and every person in their care is incredibly rewarding.
We all became nurses to make a difference and it is an incredibly soul enriching experience and always drives us to do our best. No two days are ever the same!
Do clients need to prepare anything for a Brightwater at Home nursing visit?
Our clients can rest easy, knowing that no, you do not have to prepare anything for us to visit. The usual process for a first visit is a referral is made to the nursing team for an assessment.
Whether the referral is for something like wound management, or because you are new to Brightwater at Home, we always take a proactive, wellness approach. When new to Brightwater at Home, a nurse will always visit within the first week to complete a comprehensive and individualized health assessment so we can better tailor your services to you.
We work closely with our clients and their coordinators to make sure your care plan reflects your needs, and that you have choice and control over both.
What would you like all Brightwater at Home clients to know about the nursing team?
We always work with our clients to make sure their care is individualized to suit their needs. We are able to assess and treat most types of conditions, and if not, we can refer for additional services if both the nurse and the client feel it is appropriate.
We are an incredibly caring, diverse and professional group of nurses who love their work, treat everyone with respect and have a wonderful track record of great outcomes for our clients.
