If you're thinking about becoming a PSW (or nurses' aide or whatever they are called at the moment in your area), you're going to need a good sense of humour and the ability to read people really well. More so if you plan on working in home care. Let me give you an example.
I got called in as a last minute replacement for a 5 hour evening respite shift. Sounded like a really easy assignment. Elderly male, wheelchair bound, very active wife so all the care would be done before I got there. All I had to do was keep the patient company while the wife was out and assist them with transferring to the toilet or bed if need be. No conditions affecting mental status, no history of abuse to staff. Easy peasy.
I get to the home and one of the neighbours is there to greet me. The wife left a little earlier than expected so the neighbour came over to hold down the fort until I got there. This very polite, prim and proper lady stays to chat for a bit (the patient is dozing in their chair in the living room). She explains that he normally naps for a bit in the evening and probably won't get up until I'm about to leave. She suddenly gets quite embarrassed and asks me if I've ever had male patients before. Of course I have. She explains that I may need to help him to the bathroom. Not a problem, been there, done that. A struggle with a condom catheter from my student days pops into my head and I can't help but grin. The neighbour pops off after leaving a note with her phone number (just in case I have any questions) and points out which house is hers, just in case something happens and I need help. I'm very impressed and even touched at how much they are all looking out for each other and just how welcoming they are.
The patient pops awake every now and then and I figure out very quickly what kind of person he is. Absolutely harmless, but likes to get people riled up. He tries to egg me on into conversations about religion and politics. He dozed off again and I putter around looking for something to do. The house is spotless. Not a speck of dust or dirty dish in site. Good thing I brought a book.
He wakes up a few more times, and I assist with a transfer onto the toilet and into bed. He wakes up after about an hour and would like to come back out to the living room. I'm thanking my lucky stars for this since my book is boring and while I have to carefully navigate through the conversations, he's a really interesting guy. This is when the preaching starts.
He tries to get any personal information he can out of me regarding my religion. He wants to know what type of church I go to (I don't go to any) and carries on about how wonderful Jesus is. The conversation finally hits a brick wall when he gets it through his head that he's not getting anything personal out of me.
And that's when he started hitting on me. This was the middle of a very hot summer so I was wearing capri pants. He takes notice of this suddenly and starts complimenting my legs. I get a little uncomfortable and shift in my seat. Unfortunately this raised one of my pant legs just a little. He goes all out.
"Oooooo yeah baby, show me some more like. I like legs. Those are nice legs. You know what else I like? Breasts."
"..Oh really? isn't that something"
"Yeah....hey can you show me a little more leg? Come on baby, or you could show me a little something else if you want to."
OK, this is a bit too far. I gotta say something that's gonna satisfy his sense of humour yet be firm and very clear.
"*smile* Sorry sir, that's not what I get paid for."
He grins.
"Good girl."
Sometimes they just want to see how you can handle yourself.
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