News | Secure Healthcare Solutions

Generally, majority of registered general nurse roles require you to work 12hr shifts to ensure the best care and support can be provided and the prospect of this can be quite daunting. Although caring and providing support for patients is the main priority, it is also important to take time to look after yourself.

As a nursing agency with years of experience, that’s employs registered general nurse, registered learning disability and registered mental nurse, we understand that twelve-hour shifts put your body under high pressure and it can take time for your body to get use to the routine, which is why we have highlighted the top five tips for nurses working 12hr shifts.

The benefits of working long 12-hour shifts, scheduled across 3-day segments, with a 4-day weekend to rest and relax. This allows nurses to spend extra days off with family and friends and allows you to do things that you enjoy. You may have a hobby such as cooking or you may want to spend time going to the gym.

Get loads of rest
One of the most important things to do when working long shifts as registered nurse is to get enough sleep. It is important that you get plenty of rest to keep you healthy, both physically and mentally. By not sleeping enough your concentration and productivity will be affected and it will also affect your immune system.

Bring plenty of food
For a registered nurse role, it is important to take breaks. During the breaks it is important that you remain energised by consuming nutritious foods. With you being on your feet a lot it is recommended to consume a high amount of protein and carbohydrates.

Stay hydrated
Staying hydrated is important to keep you alert and also to ensure that you stay healthy. Dehydration can have a negative impact on your body, which can cause you to feel lightheaded, tired, dizzy, feeling thirsty and having a dry mouth, lips and eyes.

It is important that drink water over the day, and not altogether. There is a number of ways that this can be done, setting reminders on your phone is a great way for you to track your intake and also to send regular reminders.
Vitamin levels
It is recommended to drink 2.5 litres of water a day, however because of increased time on your feet, it is recommended to consume more water, we roughly recommend around 25% to 50% more.

It is important that your vitamin levels are high to keep your immune system strong and to ensure that your body functions on a day-to-day basis. If vitamin levels are low, it can reduce your energy levels. You can boost vitamin levels by taking multivitamins or eating food with high vitamin levels.

Comfortable shoes
As a nurse comfortable shoes are one of the most important investments as a nurse. You will be spending majority of your shift on your feet, providing care to patients, communicating with healthcare professionals and also patient’s family members, therefore you will need shoes that stop your feet from hurting and blisters occurring.

We recommend that you wear shoes that are slip resistant, lightweight and shoes that have good support.

We are a nursing agency in Wolverhampton and we have many registered nurse jobs across the Midlands and Staffordshire, offering flexible shifts to suit your availability and we offer high rates of pay. Check out our job search tool to discover roles local to you or contact our recruitment team on 0121 285 9449 to find out more about our registered general nurse, registered learning disability and registered mental nurse roles to secure a role with us today. We have a team of specialist nurses and we are continuously looking to grow our team by working with you.

In the UK there is a high demand for registered general nurses, as over the years there has been staff shortages and the government has not heavily invested in this area, we live in an ageing population and with the COVID-19 pandemic the need for registered nurses has increased massively. This has resulted in nursing agencies offering roles to fill this gap, based on demand. While the transition to be an agency nurse may be simple, it takes a lot to be a great agency nurse.

Below we will be highlighting the main qualities required for agency nursing, where there is a demand for registered general nurses, registered learning disability nurses and registered mental nurse roles, below discover how to make a smooth transition into agency nursing.

A registered nurse has a lot of transferable skills developed over the years and through education. It is important that these skills are applied successfully within a work environment.
It is important that you are kind, caring and professional when dealing with your colleagues and patients to ensure the best care and support is provided.

Communication
One of the most important skills required for a registered nurse is communication skills, a nurse needs to be able to talk to individuals from different cultures. As well as talking to patients, you also need to communicate with family members, doctors and other healthcare staff, accurately and quickly. All parties need to understand patient’s needs and communicate effectively to ensure the best care and support is provided.

Kindness
With a nursing profession, it requires you to be a people person. You have to be compassionate, empathetic and have a genuine interest in helping people which is part of everyday work of a nurse. A patient and family members will experience a variety of emotions, therefore it is important that this is respected and the best support is provided.

Physical fitness
A nurse role requires you to be on your feet a lot of the time, it is a physically demanding job that requires fitness and stamina for you to do your job properly. There is a lot of long hours of work and shift work which requires you to be really fit. For a registered general nurse, check out the NHS’s information about eating well, exercising and healthcare, click here to find out more.

Flexibility
With a nurse role, no two days are the same, nurse professionals need to have the ability to change and adapt at any time. By working for agency as a nurse, there is flexibility to do shifts based on your availability, however sometimes because of patients needs and if working, where 1:1 care is provided 24/7, there will be times that you could be required urgently.

Willingness to learn
As a nurse professional, you have to be willing to learn, through practical experience and learning from other healthcare professionals, you will develop skills to allow you to progress your career. Here at Secure Healthcare Solutions, we also provide training to our registered nurses to ensure that they are effectively trained, and there are opportunities to specialise as registered learning disability nurses and registered mental nurses.

We are a nursing agency in Wolverhampton and we have many registered nurse jobs across the Midlands and Staffordshire, offering flexible shifts to suit your availability and we offer high rates of pay. Check out our job search tool to discover roles local to you or contact our recruitment team on 0121 285 9449 to find out more about our registered general nurse, registered learning disability and registered mental nurse roles to secure a role with us today. We have a team of specialist nurses and we are continuously looking to grow our team by working with you.

For a loved one it can be difficult to decide whether to put your loved ones in care, however sometimes you have to make a difficult decision, as they are unable to look after themselves.

With family members having busy lifestyles, it can be difficult to provide the best care and support to your loved ones. The decision of deciding the right care can be stressful and overwhelming, and thinking about somebody else looking after your loved ones. There is a lot of options and personalised care that you can take out, and there is an option of live-in care and various residential homes.

As part of the decision-making process, friends and family assess the best care options and work closely with our case managers to choose the most appropriate care options. With the decision-making process, we are here to support you all the way to make the most appropriate choice.

Residential care and live-in care both provide great support and care for those that require it. Both options provide round-the-clock care to ensure your loved ones get the care and support they need across all settings.

There is no wrong choice. Whether you want your loved ones to receive care and support within a residential home or personal home care, depending on your personal commitments. We are here to support you and your loved ones to ensure the best care and support is provided.

What a residential home offers?
By choosing a residential care home, your loved one is entitled to receive long term, round the clock care. Living in a secure and monitored residential care home, ensures your loved ones are in a safe environment at all times.

Benefits of residential care
Living in a residential care home ensures that you receive a well-balanced nutritious diet, structured daily routines, be part of house keeping services and have opportunities to socialise with other residents and visitors are some of the main benefits of residential care.

Possible disadvantages of residential care homes
It can be difficult for individuals to adapt within a residential home setting, as your loved ones requiring care are likely to be use to familiar surroundings and around loved ones most of the time, which is not limited at care at home. Within a residential home, pets are not allowed and can be an important part of ensuring companionship.

Advantages of Live-in care
One of the major advantages of live-in care and home care is that care and support provided to the service users is tailored to ensure the best care and support has been provided. When care is provided in a home care setting, healthcare staff are able to develop healthier relationships. There are no restrictions to spend time with your loved ones, be outdoors and you can be around your pets which is great for companionship.

Although there are many benefits of live-in care, the only drawback of home care is that the home may need to be fitted with specialist equipment and you would need a spacious room to facilitate this.

If you are seeking care for your loved ones in a residential or home care setting, then feel free to contact us on 0121 285 9449 and find out more about our services by clicking here

Individuals that have long term conditions or serious health conditions are more likely to benefit from live-in care. Serious conditions such as ventilation care, cancer care etc, are likely to make individuals feel weak and unable to do daily tasks, which are normally simple to do. Examples include, grocery shopping or getting around the house.

We have always been in favour of providing live-in care in a home care environment, so individuals are close to their loved ones and around a comfortable setting, as opposed to a care home environment.

It is important that our service users are supported and cared for to make everyday life much easier, also to ensure that medication is administered on time, which all contributes to the well being of our patients. Below we will highlight how live-in care can help individuals within a home care setting.

Live-in care services offer:

– Independence, enabling you to live at home around your loved ones and within your own environment.
– Tailored care and support provided to an individual. Closely working with care managers to ensure the best quality care and support is provided in a home environment.
– By having a live-in carer, it is more of an affordable approach, compared to residential care.
– Help with everyday tasks throughout the day, such as support with cleaning the house, using the bathroom, preparing food and to assist with movement around the house.
– No restrictions to eat and drink when you want and being around loved ones.
– Companionship, feel free to open up to our healthcare team about any problems that you are encountering.
– Care provided in a home care setting, allows individuals to stay closed to their pets for companionship and also you are not limited to spend time outdoors.

Mental health boost
Having somebody that you can talk to and be around can be a great way to reduce mental health matters.

Loneliness with elderly people is very common, particularly as the younger generation have busy lifestyles and childcare commitments.

A live-in care worker could be a great avenue to ensure companionship and to support with jobs around the house, so our service users can spend quality time with their loved ones, as much as possible.

Personal care support
Personal care assistance, such as assisting with using the bathroom, support with cleaning the house, preparing food and movement around the house. Here at Secure Healthcare, we ensure our service users live a quality life and provide the best quality care and support.

Health routine
Personal home care allows better health treatment, more time is spent with individual service users to ensure the best care and support is provided.

Within a home care setting, you can also eat a healthy balanced diet and you are not restricted to eating a set diet, which is more common in a residential home.

Social events
Care provided within a home care setting allows social activities to boost individual moods. Whether this is meeting with friends, family members or going to events, then home care is an appropriate setting, as this is limited within residential homes.

If yourself or somebody that you know are seeking live-in care, then find out more about our services by clicking here or contact our home care team on 0121 285 9449.

In the UK, as the age of the population increases, the population continues to rise by almost 10 million people in the UK over the next 25 years. With an ageing population, there is a continuous need for healthcare professionals. There are over 15.5 million people aged 60 and over, equivalent to 23% of the UK population. In the UK, the number of “older” old people continues to rise, there are over 3.2 million people aged 80 or over and this is forecasted to double by 2041. If you are passionate about providing care and support, then working in fast paced healthcare role, can be the most satisfying experience and there are great opportunities to progress.

With a care role, there are many challenges that occur and you are working with patients with various healthcare conditions, there will never be a boring day.

Making a difference to people’s lives
With a healthcare role, it is a great way to get to know your community and helping someone in need. If you are a passionate individual, who is helpful, kind and caring and want the opportunity to help those in your own community, then a role in care could be role just for you.

Flexible shifts
You will always be in demand for a healthcare role. Roles are flexible, which means you can pick shifts right for you. Whether you are seeking a full-time position, part time, or extra shifts, there is always shifts available. This is great for a good work life balance and you are in a position to drive your career.

No days are the same
When working within care, there is a variety of environments and individuals that you will work with, whether care is provided within a care home or home care setting. The experience gained over the years will give you transferable skills and knowledge to lead to better opportunities to progress your career.

Great opportunities to progress
Here at Secure Healthcare Solutions, there is a variety of different roles which you could pursue, we have domiciliary care roles in the UK, which require no experience and it only requires a driving licence. With us, there is opportunities to gain qualifications and undertake training to develop your skills to apply in the workplace and to progress your career. For HCA, support worker, complex carer and Registered Nurse roles, 6 months experience is required. We are here to support you every step of the way.

Roles local to near where you live
As there is a high demand for care jobs, you can secure a role local to where you live. This reduces commute time to a workplace. This prevents you commuting every day and keeps your travels expenses very low.

Meet new people in the community and also healthcare professionals
A care job allows you to meet new people in your community, close to where you live, you are meeting multiple service users and also work collaboratively with a large team of carers and healthcare professionals to network and develop your knowledge and experience to support in progressing your career.

If you are seeking to secure a role within health care industry, then check out our domiciliary roles, HCA, Complex Carers and Nurse roles local to you within the West Midlands and Staffordshire, using our job search tool or contact us on 0121 285 9449 to find out more. Pick up as many shifts as you want and choose shifts around your availability.

As a young adult, you may require some extra support and assistance, while living more independently or it may be that your child is moving from children’s social care to adult’s social care.

We are here to support you or your loved ones and provide care to young adults that require it, whether this is required for a few hours, a few times a week, or full time, we are here to support you. We ensure independence and allow young adults to live an active life.

At Secure Healthcare, we understand that individuals requiring help or support for a loved one, can heavily affect your emotions.

Initially, individuals may feel anxious and nervous or could feel excited and overwhelmed. Overall, it is to improve the quality of life for an individual and it allows you to live a more independent life.

If yourself or your loved one is an adult, seeking support, there is many things that you can do to make life easier. Our healthcare team can support and provide care by assisting with day-to-day tasks, support with arranging appointments, assist with providing medication, support with shopping etc.

Every young individual deserves the chance to achieve their highest potential, which is why we offer short term and long-term care for young adults with complex care needs. We want to make sure that young adults have the opportunity to identify their goals and to feel fully supported every step of the way by our experienced healthcare team.

We know that letting someone new into your home can be a difficult decision and we understand that individual’s needs are going to be different. At Secure Healthcare, we have a person-centred approach which means that our case managers assess individual needs of our service users to find the correct amount of support and care.

There are various conditions that we provide support for:
– Acquired brain injury
– Spinal cord injuries
– Palliative care
– ADHD
– Down syndrome
– Cerebral palsy
– Neurological conditions (MS & MND)
– Stroke & Hypertension
– Parkinson’s & Huntington’s
– catheter, bowel & stoma care
– Tracheostomy care
– Gastronomy care
– Ventilated patients
– Continence care
– PEG feeding

Our healthcare team are all DBS checked, receive specialist training and have qualifications to ensure the best quality care and support is provided. Our specialist care services are regulated by the care quality commission. We ensure our team receive up to date training and are fully qualified.

When supporting young adults, there is two ways that we can provide care and support. This can be provided in a home care environment or within a care home setting.

Providing care in a personal home care setting has become very popular within society and it allows individuals to be close to their loved ones, around familiar surroundings. Another benefit of home care is that healthcare provided is more flexible, for example it could be provided for a few hours a day or a few times a week. The cost of this care is much lower compared to care within a care home. Home care also allows healthcare teams to build a stronger relationship with individual patients.

In a care home setting, care is generally more full time with individuals that have more serious healthcare conditions. Care in a care home setting is more routine based and you can not be around your loved ones as much.

Whether you require care for yourself or your loved ones within a home care environment or within a care home, find out more about our services by clicking here or contact us on 01902 302017

The United Kingdom Homecare association estimates that around 249 million hours of home care is delivered to individuals in the UK each year. 71% of people that require care and support, prefer to remain in their own home, as they age. We live in an ageing population and the number of individuals preferring home care close to their loved ones and around their loved ones continues to increase, there is a growing need for healthcare workers to work within a home care setting.

Personal home care offers a variety of care and support to individuals within a home care setting, from those with learning and physical disabilities to individuals with mental health needs or mobility issues. This allows individuals that require care to remain independent and stay close to their loved ones around their family surroundings. With home care, there is flexibility and adaptions that can be made to facilitate this.

For home care, domiciliary care workers will assist with basic tasks around the house, complex carers will deal with individuals with more complex needs such as ventilation, autism etc. Nurses are also on call to deal with more complicated patient matters, whether this is administering treatment, monitoring healthcare or dealing with wounds.

Some of the major benefits of home care includes:

Health and wellbeing
Home care is beneficial for better health and well-being. Research carried out shows that people that receive care at home, have a reduced risk of hospital admissions, reduction in falls in the elderly and higher levels of happiness and satisfaction.

Independent home care
Personal home care services offer much more independence, compared to hospital or care home care and support. From meals to activities, there is much more flexibility. Within a home care setting, you are not restricted as much and you can carry out activities and aspects of normal life with your loved ones and around familiar surroundings.

Support at home to meet tailored needs
Within a home care setting, care is tailored to an individual. Within a hospital setting or care home settings, the healthcare team will be required to look after various patients. These personal touches will improve happiness, confidence and there will be a sense of independence.

Pets
Many individuals that live in their own home have pets. Pets are important to comfort and provide companionship to individuals. Within a home care setting while providing care, this is not limited and care and support is provided in the comfort of individuals own home.

Affordability
Compared to residential care, home care services are much more affordable and flexible, you may only require care for a few hours or a few times a week. A full-time carer is much more expensive, compared to providing care for a few hours or a few times a week.

Family and friends
Within a home care environment, you are not restricted to spend quality time with your loved ones, including family and friends. There are no time restrictions for friends and family, which are likely to be in care homes.

If you are seeking flexible home care in the West Midlands and Staffordshire for yourself or your loved ones, find out more about how we can support and provide care for you, check out our services by clicking here. Contact us on 01902 302017 or email us on homecare@securehealthcaresolutions.co.uk to discover flexible care and support around your needs.

Working as a healthcare assistant, the role is generally varied and can include working alongside Nurses in care homes, hospitals or within GP’s.
If you are considering a career in care, then becoming an HCA could be the role for you to specialise.

For a HCA role, there is no set requirements, however there is certain skills and personal characteristics that you must have for you to pursue this career option.
– You need to be patient and have the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
– Have a caring and friendly personality
– For this role stamina and endurance is required, as there is a lot movement involved
– Great communication skills to use effectively with service users and great listening skills
– Ability to work well with others, this includes service users, healthcare professionals and with family members
– Excellent written and spoken English skills are required
– Willing to undertake personal care (washing, assisting with toilet etc.)

Working as HCA has many responsibilities, these could be regular routine responsibilities and can also change depending on the clients needs, you need to have the ability to adapt to certain situations.

As a healthcare assistant, you will be providing care and support to those in need:
– Washing and dressing patients if required
– Serving and assisting with food preparation to feed patients
– Assistance with movement around the house
– Making and changing beds
– Assistance with toileting
– Taking and recording basic interventions such as blood pressure, temperature and finger prick testing, weight etc.
– Listening and talking with patients
– Sterilising equipment
– Keeping supplies and equipment in order
– Administering basic medicine and bandaging wounds if required. For this, HCA’s will be provided training to apply this
to service users

How Secure Healthcare could help?
Here at Secure Healthcare Solutions, we require 6 months experience and we provide full training to allow you to gain skills and knowledge to support service users. Our services are regulated by the CQC.

We will not throw you in the deep end, we can arrange shadow shifts to be completed. This is where, you will shadow a senior member of the team, allowing you to get hands on experience, gain confidence and understand the role. This is a great opportunity for you to ask any questions.

For our healthcare assistants, we provide ongoing support, through training and qualifications, we also supervise and carry out spot checks to identify any potential training needs.

At Secure Healthcare, you can choose when you want to work, so if you require full-time hours, part time or extra shifts alongside your regular job, then a flexible role could be just for you.

Secure Healthcare is always hiring health care assistants across the West Midlands and Staffordshire. We are always seeking highly passionate health care workers to join our care team. If you believe, you have the right skills and characteristics, or want to find out more about the benefits of working for Secure Healthcare.

Sobia’s experience of working as a healthcare assistant at Secure Healthcare.

“For a healthcare assistant role, you have to have a strong character and be passionate about providing care. Working as a carer is not an easy ride, there is daily responsibilities based on individual client needs, however there is unexpected challenges that arise over the course of providing care”.

We have healthcare jobs across the Midlands & Staffordshire, whether you are seeking part time, full time or the odd shifts around your availability, then discover the latest roles using our job search tool or contact our recruitment team on 0121 285 9449.

Deciding whether to start or change your career to become a carer, can be a difficult decision to make, however if you are passionate about providing care and are seeking a rewarding and progressive opportunity in care, then starting your journey in care could be the role just for you.
With a care job, the role is varied, where every day is relatively different and requires you to be on your feet, without the constraints of a desk job, then working for Secure Healthcare could be the role for you. Despite the challenges caring for other individuals, a career in care is a satisfying career option and can make a real difference to many people’s lives.

To identify if you are a great fit for care roles, we have provided some helpful tips to see if you are a great match for Secure Healthcare.

Is care work right for me?
For a care role, you really have to be passionate about helping people, you need to be friendly and have a good work ethic, individuals need to be compassionate and understanding, also have the ability to deal with complex situations. Strong communication skills are required and it is important that you remain calm under pressure.

Do I need previous experience?
Care roles do not all require experience, for a domiciliary carer role, which is home care, no experience is required and full training is provided. Starting your journey with us as Dom carer allows you to start you care career without any experience and through training and qualifications provided by professional trainers, you have the opportunity to progress your career as a healthcare assistant and complex carer, which generally requires 6 months experience which you have the option of reaching through us.

So, what is Domiciliary care?
Domiciliary care is when carers visit the home of an individual to provide support and care in the comfort of your own home. This may be for short periods of time, from one-two hours, several hours or 24-hour care. By providing home care services, it will allow patients to feel independent to allow them to live a quality life.

Some of the day-to-day responsibilities include:

Personal care such as washing and dressing
Assisting with getting patients in and out of bed
Support with going to the toilet
Preparing daily mails
Talking to the patient and providing the patient company
Support with household tasks
Helping patients get around the house

A domiciliary care role is a great way to start your healthcare journey and it can open up an opportunity to become a care manager, alongside the experience, you will require an RMA qualification, NVQ 4, or QCF diploma. Click here to find out more.

If you are passionate about care and seeking an opportunity to start your career within care, then look no further and use our job search tool by clicking here to discover roles in the West Midlands. We have flexible part-time and full-time domiciliary roles across Wolverhampton, providing rewarding salaries and choose as many shifts as you require around your availability.

Or contact us on 01902 302017 to find out more and secure a role with us today.

Here at Secure Healthcare Solutions, we are aware that, Dementia care is a growing challenge, and the number of individuals with dementia continues to increase as the population ages and people live for longer. It is has become one of the most important health and care issues faced in the UK.

Dementia is a range of conditions which cause damage to the brain. Damage can affect your memory, thinking, behaviour and the ability to perform everyday tasks. Generally, dementia mainly affects the older generation. In the UK, there is around 850,000 people with dementia in the UK, this is projected to increase to 1.6 million by 2040.

209,600 will develop dementia this year, that is one every three minutes.

1 in 6 people have dementia over the age of 80.

With dementia, individuals will be affected in different ways, depending on the impact of the disease.

There are three different stages with Dementia.

Early stage – gradually develops over time and is often ignored, as it is gradual.
Symptoms include:

Forgetfulness
Losing track of time
Getting confused in familiar places

Middle stage – When dementia progresses to the middle stage, the signs and symptoms become clear to recognise.

Symptoms include:

Forgetting recent activities and individual’s names
Getting confused at home and lost within your home
Struggling with communication
Requiring support with personal care
Behaviour changes such as wandering, repeated questioning and repeating activities

Late stage – The late stage of dementia is much more serious and requires a lot more dependence for care and support.

Symptoms include:

Individuals being unaware of the time and place
Difficulty recognising friends and family members
Increased need for care and support to get around the house
Difficulty walking
Behaviour changes that can include aggression and anger outbursts

Find out more about Dementia by clicking here

Dementia care — Senior man is sitting alone at the dining table in his home, with a worried expression on his face.

We understand that looking after a loved one with dementia can be difficult, alongside other commitments, we know that family and friends want to remain close to their loved ones, which is why we provide dementia care within a home care setting. Whether you require personal home care for your loved ones for a few hours or for large periods of time, we are here to provide care and support. Our case managers work closely with our healthcare team to devise a care plans to accommodate individual client needs. We provide mental support, care and nutrition support, we are here to help. We have a specialist team of Nurses and Carers on call that deal with dementia care across the West Midlands and Staffordshire.

In summary how we can help

We will ensure your loved ones stay safe at home in their own family surroundings
We will help them build confidence and encourage them to try everyday tasks
We can ensure that individuals are eating nutritious meals to encourage a healthy diet
Regularly engage and stimulating individuals with activities to encourage brain activity
Supporting loved one’s families to reassure them that they are in the best possible hands
Creating and managing bespoke plans tailored to individual needs. Whether you require us to be visit many times a day or a live-in carer to be there all the time, we are here to help.
A dedicated care manager, who will be the point of contact for any queries or concerns you may have
Dedicated specialist team, with professional training and experience
24hr on-call support
Monitoring and managing care plans to ensure the best quality care is provided

If your loved ones require dementia care and support within a home care environment, contact us on 01902 302017 or click here to find out more about dementia care.