Interview with a Nurse: Lauryn Akeme

This week, we sat down with Lauryn Akeme, who is a healthcare assistant while studying medicine. She told us all about why she loves working in healthcare and how she stays motivated when it gets tough. Read on to find out more!

How long have you been working in healthcare?

I have been working in healthcare for 2 years now

What made you want to become a nurse (healthcare assistant)?

I have always admired nurses and healthcare assistants; they are able to provide a level of care to every single patient that wouldn’t be recognized by the average person. They come to work and give their everything, all while learning and growing as healthcare workers themselves. There aren’t many jobs I can think of where you come in and give a little piece of yourself away every day, whether its kindness or patience, or even both.

The qualities that nurse and HCA’s have instilled in them are qualities every human being should want.

You get to learn every single day of your career, you meet so many different people from all walks of life, working in healthcare you constantly must adjust and adapt, and I think nurses do this so well.

What is your favourite thing about your career?

My favourite thing about my career is learning and meeting new people, from new nurses to new patients.

I find that when I’m at work I seem to bump into a nurse that is willing to teach me a thing or two, even when they don’t have to.

I am a medical student so I work as a healthcare assistant part time, so many nurses and student nurses have made my time at work so interesting and enjoyable, but what I love the most is interacting with patients, everyone is so different, and I find myself learning so much about the patients and learning about how I could contribute to making a patient’s time in hospital more pleasant.

What does a typical day look like for you at the moment?

A typical day would be an 8-8 shift! The hospital I work at gets extremely busy in the mornings. You have nurses and HCA’s helping patients with washes or breakfast and shuttling out the morning medication before the doctors and their teams arrive. Between washes, breakfast, medications, and entire teams of doctors visiting, us nurses and healthcare assistants must find a chance to take breaks. It is a long day, it isn’t as straight forward as saying patients eat, medication is given and job done, there is so much in between, each patient is different and has their own unique requirements that the entire team of healthcare workers need to cater to. We spend our day making sure that all patients need are met, and whatever else we can do, we will.

There is usually a period during the day where it gets quiet. Most of the nurses will be sat at the nurse’s section or their own patient bays writing up notes, updating family members. Or, they're giving patients medications or fluids that are charted for them in intervals throughout the day. Healthcare assistants are usually checking in on the patients, making sure everything is where it needs to be, making sure the treatment rooms are stocked. Or just accompanying a patient to a scan, or physio or outside for fresh air.

How do you stay motivated on difficult days?

As a healthcare worker, I’m sure we have all experienced points in our days where all motivation leaves us. For me, the nurses and healthcare assistants I work with are the people that pick me up. We all understand one another, and we all know fundamentally that even though we get frustrated with our jobs, it’s the one thing we know is for us. Once you find your resolve, there’s little that can deter you from getting that motivation back.

But sometimes it’s as simple as telling yourself “Only a few hours left”.

What advice would you give to somebody wishing to work in healthcare?

I would tell them to make sure they know it’s for them. Be sure that it’s what you want and be sure you can handle the things healthcare can throw at you. Do your research - there are so many different fields in healthcare - find the field that suits you best.

Working in healthcare can be difficult. It’s extremely demanding. A lot of the time it requires more than one person can give so make sure to find an environment that can support you. I see hospitals the same way I see any living organism, it’s several different systems working together. The only way it works is when every system is in harmony. Make good work relationships with people outside of your specific career. Be considerate of all the other healthcare workers that work in a hospital that make it possible for you to do your job.

What is the funniest thing a patient has ever said to you?

I am 21 years of age, but I can admit I look much younger than I am. The only thing is I was unaware of how young I looked. So, when I went into a patient one morning, they asked me who brought their child to work! It took a lot to convince him I was of age and worked as hospital staff. It was a good laugh once I showed him my ID.

Some fun facts about me are:

• I can’t swim, I’ve tried and tried but large bodies of water don’t agree with me.

• For the past 2 years I’ve spent my birthdays working in the hospital.

• Very cliché, but my favourite TV show is Grey's Anatomy

• I adore reading. If I can find a quiet place during my lunch break at work (rarely), I read a book.

● My favourite food is any type of pasta.

● My favourite drink is lemon and ginger tea. Iit gets me through the day at work, especially over winter.

● My dream holiday destination is Italy!

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Thank you to Lauryn for sitting down with us this week! We will return next week with a new blog!

DDHQ x