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Original poster

Oh god feel sick feel like handing my notice in

51 replies

Lilylay · 19/08/2019 18:06

Work as a carer for a lady with cerbal palsy. She has no mobility but had seizures so we always keep the bed sides up.

She had a seizure this morning and ended up leaning to one side so I put the bed side down and went to straighten her. As I leant over she has a massive seizure and lurched into me. I lost my footing and slipped backwards. She is quite heavy and her whole upper body was coming off the bed and Managed to catch her but the position I was on could not get her back on the bed so I eased her to the floor.

She is fine has a bit of a bump to the head which caught the side of the bed. I have reported it and my boss has said I did well and it was just a freak accident but I just feel sick and have not stopped shaking since and keep crying. The lady has been checked over. It just keeps going through my head a should have done better and I just want to hand my notice on as feel so awful about it all. Feel so sick inside
I have changed my user name as quite outing
I am on again tonight and just can’t stop shaking as I have just lost all faith in my ability

OP posts:
Chocolate35 · 19/08/2019 19:52

Don’t quit. People like you are needed. Maybe give yourself tonight to relax and cry it out and then try and get back to it tomorrow. You clearly care and did everything you could, try not to be so harsh on yourself.

howwudufeel · 19/08/2019 19:53

You sound like an absolute hero to me. You do a hard job brilliantly well and you really care about your patients.

Original poster
Lilylay · 19/08/2019 19:58

I just can’t stop crying I think I am ok then it washes over me again. I don’t know if I can do this

OP posts:
Grassynoel · 19/08/2019 20:01

Oh my God I read your op and all I can say is my mother is in a nursing home and I can only hope her carers are as caring as you! Accidents happen to the best of us but your caring heart behind it is what matters. If only all carers were like you op. Take a deep breath, adjust your crown and carry on. And thank you for all you do for people in need of care.x

Persea · 19/08/2019 20:05

Good luck @Lilylay
In your original post it sounds like you did exactly what you could to make the situation safe for both you and your charge.
I hope you’re ok on your shift tonight, and you get your confidence back.

Original poster
Lilylay · 19/08/2019 20:22

Thanks I may post on this thread tonight for a bit of hand holding if I need it. Hoping I will be fine once I am there

OP posts:
Wehttam · 19/08/2019 20:27

I’d be more concerned if I was the patients family if you weren’t shaking and upset. You’re reacting perfectly normal given the situation, you obviously care a great deal for her so please calm yourself and process what happened.

InsertFunnyUsername · 19/08/2019 20:48

You sound like a lovely carer, and would feel lucky to have you looking after a loved one Smile

ThatCurlyGirl · 19/08/2019 20:59

Thinking of you so much OP - thank you for doing such an important job that is MASSIVELY undervalued in general.

If you are feeling the same in a few weeks are you able to ask for some counselling through work if you think it would help?

Again thank you for doing such an important job. I have epilepsy and coming around from a seizure to a kind and caring presence is the biggest relief I've ever felt, every time.

You sound lovely Thanks

EbbandTheWanderingHearts · 19/08/2019 21:31

It's horrid when something like this happens and it's very easy to go over and over the "what ifs" but you can't change what's happened. You dealt with it well and the lady wasn't hurt. It's the shock setting in now. You're obviously a caring and conscientious care worker. Try not to be so hard on yourself. Us care workers do a tough job and, at times, it's not easy. I hope all went well tonight. Flowers

Likethebattle · 19/08/2019 21:43

You are in shock and adrenaline rushes can make you tearful afterwards. You did the best you could and your patient is s ok.

onceandneveragain · 19/08/2019 22:27

good luck for tonight Lilylay! I'm sure it will be fine.
Just to echo everyone else's sentiments to say thank you for doing the job you do and for being so caring and compassionate!

Original poster
Lilylay · 19/08/2019 22:37

I got there tonight and the daughter was there and gave me a big hug and thanked me. I burst out crying again so my boss sat me down with a cup of coffee and I had a chat to the daughter. She said I could not have down any better and that it’s thanks to me her mum is not more badly hurt. My boss also said I did the right thing by going to the floor. I have suggested mats be put on either said if he bed and they are being ordered ASAP once an assessment has been done. Until that happens we are now caring for her in pairs
Feel much better just had a big cuddle with my charge and got a big smile and she my name which is very rare for her to say anything.
Thank you everyone for getting me through the day. I love mumsnet Flowers to you all

OP posts:
Original poster
Lilylay · 19/08/2019 22:39

I have also been told I can access counselling if I am still feeling bad about things

OP posts:
Original poster
Lilylay · 19/08/2019 22:40

Sorry meant mother, she was there with her other daughter and it was her other daughter igor a hug off- got confused

OP posts:
Original poster
Lilylay · 19/08/2019 22:45

Actually I did change some details of the people involved so it was not as outing and I have got mixed up. This is why I never ever lie, too crap a memory

OP posts:
Jent13c · 19/08/2019 23:00

It wasnt a fall, it was a controlled lower to the floor. Sometimes we put every single care plan in place and every intervention that we can and falls still happen. It's heartbreaking. We had one recently where the man was sleeping soundly in his chair, being watched by a nurse and suddenly lurched forward and smashed his face off the floor.

You sound like an excellent carer and exactly what the profession needs. Your boss has assessed the situation and said you did everything right. The only other thing I would maybe put in place in a hospital setting was a low bed so you could lower the bed rather than taking her weight to lower to the floor. But I totally understand that things are totally different in someones home.

twattymctwatterson · 19/08/2019 23:23

Op you sound like exactly the kind of person we need in the caring profession

Happysummer2020 · 20/08/2019 04:51

Gosh you have a really difficult job and it sounds like you did so well under such hhard circumstances.

God for you - I am in awe. Please dont resign. The care industry needs great people like you.

flapjackfairy · 20/08/2019 05:03

I have a child with severe epilepsy and this happened to me a few weeks ago. I had just dropped the side rail and turned round to get the suction machine. I was still next to the bed luckily because he went into a sudden tonic seizure and it threw him to one side. I caught him as he fell off the edge of the bed ( he is only 5 so small ). It frightened the life out of me but there was nothing I could do to prevent it as it happened so quick.
Obviously it makes me even more well aware of not leaving the side rail down if I am not next to the bed but with the best will in the world accidents can happen. Don't feel guilty . You sound such a lovely carer x

1300cakes · 20/08/2019 05:52

Bless you OP, sounds like you did all you could and maybe prevented the lady from being hurt.

Fwiw, I work in health care and it's our policy that if someone falls and we are able to stop the fall, that we then "lower them gently to the ground" rather than trying to get them back in to bed/on a chair. Mainly because you could hurt your back, also because you could drop them and make the whole situation worse. So you did a completely normal and correct thing.

Happysummer2020 · 20/08/2019 07:13

You did really well and you are naturally in shock.

Take all the care that is available to you right now x

BedraggledBlitz · 20/08/2019 07:24

Well done for how you handled this and for going back, you sound like a wonderful carer x

Namenic · 20/08/2019 07:39

You did exactly the right thing. You can’t do anything else where ther is such short time to react. Do you think it would be more appropriate for 2 carers to go at one time? It might take less time and may mean individual carers don’t get injured due to heavy load

Lemonlady22 · 20/08/2019 07:54

You did exactly the right thing. On a good note your boss has now recognised that you need two carers now until an assessment has been made which is good for you and your client. Well done! I remember a rather large gentleman (tall, big build) who collapsed against the bathroom door (door kept him upright for some reason), i opened bathroom door outwards as had no verbal response from him, he came flying out backwards and landed on me pinning me to the floor lol...I cushioned his fall! Had to shout for help as i couldnt move him and couldnt reach emergency buzzer. Scary at the time. He had fainted post op, and was really apologetic afterwards.