Feeling incredibly stressed and can't 'turn off' from new job. Please help!

[OriginOfSymmetry]

I've recently started a new job and am finding it really hard to adapt. I was at home with dc for a number of years before this and am finding this period of adjustment really really hard. I'm having trouble sleeping, eating and find I'm thinking about the job nearly all of the time! I'm ratty with my kids and dh. The ridiculous thing is, it's only part time, bArely part time in fact - only every 2nd weekend and a few hours during the week, but it's a frontline 'caring' type job, and as awful as it sounds it's not really what I want to do - I'm using it as experience to move on to another role. I'm a total stresshead and find it really hard to know how to cope with it all.

Sorry about duplicate thread!

Anyone?

Hello

Can you say a bit more about the nature of the role/ what you are doing within the role? Do you have previous experience of the role? Who supervises you? Is there anything specific about the role which worries or concerns you?

Hi. It's domiciliary care. I had a 4 day induction course and the company I work for had me out working before the end of my training. Some shadowing, some 'double runs' i.e doing jobs that required 2 carers i.e hoisting etc but they wanted me to do my very first visit completely on my own. I refused. The second visit I went on was with someone who hadn't used a hoist for months - and if course, that visit involved hoisting . The customer then (rightly) complained that we didn't appear to know what we were doing. I did phone the care manager about this. I worked briefly in a nursing home as a teenager but this is fairly different. I get the impression my first couple of shifts were a bit of a baptism by fire as they are short-staffed. The second day I went out with another carer who was pretty negative in general and moaned a lot and then said she thought I wouldn't last 2 weeks! As far as I'm aware I was being helpful and enthusiastic! I get the impression there is a distinct lack of communication between management and carers.

I get the impression I'm going to have to develop skin like a rhino in this job! Most of the actual clients I have dealt with so far have been lovely. But I feel like a fish out of water AND completely out of my depth, just to murder a metaphor .

Who is the company? Please name and shame...

You shouldn't be out on your own if you have no experience. It's unfair on you and unfair on your clients. This doesn't sound like a very nice company to work for. I would jack it in and find another job. There is always plenty of care work available with reputable companies who will be willing to train you.

Ok, well there are a few issues.

As the previous poster has said, you should not be expected to be 'flying solo' this early on. A reputable company would not expect this and it is important for you to remember that the way you are feeling is caused by the lack of appropriate induction, training and support you have received.

The fact that you are worrying/ thinking excessively about work outside work hours probably indicated that you are just the sort of person who has what it takes to be a good care worker. care professional!! Ie you think about the work you are doing, the quality of service your clients recieve and how well you are able to provide it!! Part of my job is in commisioning Dom care packages and we love staff like you!!

Also there is in any new job a period of adjustment especually if it is relatively new to you and more so if you have been out of the job market for a while. As long as the correct support is in place it DOES get easier, you become more confident and comfortable and switching off happens much more naturally.

I suppose you have two options open to you, either stick it out with this copany but ask to meet your manager, calmly point out that whilst you are commited and keen to do a good job you will need a bit more support in this early phase with the company. Ask if they can give you some additional specifc training (ie hoisting, manual handling etc etc) and maybe pair you with an experienced carer for a few weeks. If they are halfway decent they will facilitate this.

OR you could look for a similar opening elsewhere. If you go on the CQC website (care quality commision) you can serach for any prispective agency and look at how well they have done when inspection took place. hey look at things like staff training, any complaints regsitered, lots of things.

Happy to try to answer any other questions you may have, Good luck!

ShouldIBe - thank you. THe company I work for is on the CQC website as being up to their standards. The management was very much 'just call us if you have any concerns' 'we won't send you out on your own until you feel confident' blah blah etc but then they simply DID send me out on my own and it was up to me to say I didn't want to do it. I have gone out 3 times on my own, although these were all straight-forward, didn't involve any lifting, personal care etc and were more of the light housework, making the clients a bit of lunch/tea and providing company. The 'double runs' I went on WERE all with experienced carers, who knew what they were doing (apart from the first one!). The negative, moany carer was actually doing the job well enough and was fine with the clients, but just made me feel a bit despondent with her attitude. When I complained to the Care Manager about this first visit, I was reassured that it wasn't my fault that it had happened but feel that the whole episode has 'tainted' my first experience of working in domiciliary care iykwim.

I am due to go into the office tomorrow to pick something up - I think I will ask to speak to someone and mention my need for extra support atm. I do want to enjoy this job and think the potential is there but think I will have to be assertive or be taken advantage of! I am second guessing absolutely everything I do when I am with clients at the moment and hoping it is good enough or what I should be doing - things tend to be running through my head for days afterwards as a result! Having said all that, part of this stressing is just the way I am and I think I would be like that in any job - I just want to do it properly and to the best of my abilities....

OriginOfSymmetry

Considering the gaps in the training I think it sounds like you are doing a very good job and you have a caring coscientious nature.
. Adjusting back to going to work is really hard . My mum has carers in daily and mostly they are really cheerful and great, it is a seriously undervalued job! Give yourself a bit more time before you make any decisions. Hopefully getting your point across tomorrow in person will help.

I work in the same industry as you OriginOfSymmetry. I would go back to your line manager as mentioned up thread as specifically for training in areas you are unsure of.

Whenever I am unsure of what to do I during a visit, I, :

1. Read the care plan;
2. Read the notes made for the same (but previous) day/time as my visit;
3. Ring the office/on call mobile and ask.

I usually visit the same group of clients, so have built up knowledge fairly quickly.

HTH.

You sound really nice and the sort of persdon who people will like to have in their homes.

The maion thing to remember, at least AS important as the 'tasks' if not more so is that many of the people whose homes you go into will probably be struggling with illness, advanced age, disability and often isolation social exclusion.

The care staff going into them are their main link go the outside world and having a kind, respectful, helpful carer can make a bad day bearable.

Things that upset the clients I work with most are usually about how the carers interact not about technique or eperience. Most clients will be happy to tell you how they like things done/ what they need doing in fact it will be a breath of fresh air so don't feel concerned about asking.

try to spend the booked time with the clients also as often clients do shorter visits than booked and even if the clients don't say it outright it often does updet them especially as they will be (at least) contributing to their care package if not paying full cost. 5 minutes spent at the end of a visit just to chat is a real luxury if you can manage it.

All that said, definately go back to your manager and highlight your concerns, they would be mad to let you go so hopefully you will get the support you need!

Thank you everyone . I went into the office today and said I wasn't feeling totally confident and would like some more shadowing. My rota for next week includes some customers I've been to before on my own so I feel ok about them and one that I shadowed and am now being sent to on my own which I also feel ok about. There are a few new ones which I think will now be shadowing, but they've sent me back out 3 times over next weekend to the lady who complained! I'll be there with an experienced carer though so will just have to put that first episode behind me and try and just get on with it with her!
Colette - it's nice to hear that the carers are appreciated by the people who matter the most - customers and their families.

PhantomPayne, thanks for the tips! I have been reading the care plans but the tip about reading the notes from the last visit is handy. I think I am putting pressure on myself to go in and automatically know exactly what to do - which is ridiculous!
ShouldIBe - I do make a real effort to chat to the clients - being pleasant and empathetic is the only thing I feel I'm getting right atm .

I do feel better about it all now - I think it will take me a few weeks/months to feel totally comfortable with it all but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now!

Thank you all again for your input.