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A day in the shoes of Tia, Patient Care Assistant

Tia and Evie

“Try to focus on the fact that you are doing your very best, as there will be days it will be hard to remember that. The foundation of all our roles is care.” – Tia

In this instalment of “A day in the shoes of…” we hear what Tia has to say about her role as a Patient Care Assistant at The Ralph…

“Patient Care Assistants (PCAs) work in all departments of the hospital. I usually start the day by checking the stock levels in the area I’m placed in and then replace the bits that are needed. I also talk to the nurses on shift and see what the day has in store for us. Throughout the day my main tasks are assisting the vets and nurses with patients; keeping the area stocked, cleaned and tidied; walking, feeding, cleaning and looking after the patients; and generally helping as and where I am needed! I also check to see what treatment or care the patients are due at various points of the day and complete as many of those as I am qualified to. At the end of my shift I hand over to the next PCA and make sure they, the vets and the nurses feel comfortable and happy before I leave.

My favourite part about my job is getting to help the vets and nurses with patients and procedures. I absolutely love learning, and everyone at The Ralph is a great teacher. From helping to place feeding tubes, to assisting with emergencies that come in, to helping with scanning patients, it is all so rewarding to see these animals get the help they need and deserve.

Tia assisting our Neurology Intern, Despoina, with Ziggy:

 

 

My least enjoyable days are definitely the quiet ones, but as The Ralph grows there are fewer and fewer of these to be had! There’s always a silver lining in everything though, so on days like this, it’s nice to be able to give the inpatients lots of TLC. Days like these are needed for us to recharge, and to be able to really spend quality time with our patients. So I cannot complain!

I feel really honoured to be part of Team Ralph, as everyone here is so incredible. It is an amazing feeling to be able to work alongside the best of the best and have the opportunity to learn from them. A huge focus for me is compassionate patient care, and I am so grateful to be part of a practice that prioritises this so highly.

Tia and Smidge:

 

I am working towards becoming a veterinary surgeon and what motivates me the most is always trying to be the best version of myself I can be. Whether this is in my work, student or home life, I aim to constantly be improving. And there is no better place to work than The Ralph if that is your goal in this profession because that seems to be everyone’s goal here.

The best piece of advice I have ever been given is that two steps forward and one step back is still one step forward. It’s really difficult to not let the losses and setbacks get to you in this profession, especially as they can be so personal, but at the end of the day, you have to remember that you are doing your best for the patients you care for. I don’t think anyone here could doubt how much love we each have for the patients that we see. Try to focus on the fact that you are doing your very best, as there will be days it will be hard to remember that. The foundation of all our roles is care.”

Thank you for reading Tia’s blog. We are proud of our people: please do check out Our Team page to meet more Ralphers.

Take care,

Team Ralph

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