Madam, – It is time to call a halt to the seemingly endless repetitive and pointless paperwork which has become a big part of my job as a result of the regulations enforced by HIQA.
It has been my privilege to have been a carer for over 30 years. As indicated by the title my job involves caring, ie, washing people, dressing them, bringing them to the bathroom and assisting with each and every action throughout the day that most of us take for granted. However, the essence of what I do is human contact. Talking, laughing and forming friendships with people while carrying out these functions is just as important as the manual tasks.
I love my job and am lucky enough to work with nurses who also enjoy their chosen field of caring for the vulnerable elderly in our society.
However, nurses and carers in nursing homes are finding it increasingly difficult to spend their working day with the people depending on us to carefor them. Paperwork is taking up an already substantial and increasing portion of the working day: time that could and should be spent with those who need us.
Inspections of nursing homes and any place where vulnerable people may be at risk are undoubtedly necessary and should be carried out regularly. Interviewing staff and residents in these premises is to be encouraged. It is not difficult to tell if people are being well cared for, the signs are easy to see.
So please, visit our elderly. Sit down and have a chat. Ask questions and get answers. But do not conclude from a long and time-consuming form, filled out by a carer testifying to the quality of care a person has received, that it is necessarily so. Cut down on the paperwork and leave me free to do my job. – Yours, etc,