Transitioning from nursing in a busy hospital to caring for people in their own homes has been a welcome change for registered nurse Sata.

Ensuring each client is looked after individually is vital to everything AQ @ Home does and for Sata, it’s what she loves about her work so much.

“I love … helping clients in their homes, we’re able to spend lots of time with them, it’s important to respect their cultural background – if it’s important to them, it’s important to us,” she said.

“We can spend time with them, have a conversation with them, and if we’re seeing them for the first time, I like to be able to see their family and carers as well.”

Sata’s role includes wound care, continence assessments, catheter management, and clinical assessments.

“We tell them what the treatment will be, how long it will take, and sometimes we need to be truthful – this wound might not heal, ever,” she said.

“Having their families there, I’m able to provide some education as well – I might only be seeing the client twice a week, so if something happens when I’m not there, it’s important to have their loved ones be part of their care.

“I tell the client ‘You are helping to heal the wound’; we talk about diet, exercise, elevating their legs, making sure they take their medication.”

Personalised care is at the centre of AQ @ Home, and that includes taking the time to get to know each client and their families or carers.

“It’s so different in a hospital, here we don’t feel rushed, it’s wonderful to be able to sit and plan their care and have the family there to see the nurse when we come to visit,” Sata said.

“I like to have a good chat with them, being there, they feel safer hopefully and I like to get to know the person – they can reach out and get reassurance when they need it most. It’s about respectful care.

“Also, if I’m in their home and I can see that they’re needing domestic care, we can find out what they need and help that to happen.

“So indirectly, we are caring for the carers too.

“The team here at AQ is wonderful – what the client gets is a very supportive team. We’re all in it together for the client.”

Find out more about your local AQ @ Home services, email aqhome@alzqld.org.au or call 1800 272 846 today.