It is true that a care worker will normally report to a team leader or house manager, however, their role of attending to the needs of their patient will be mostly independent.
You will find that on many occasions there will be a need for you to assess a situation and made a decision yourself, hence the need to feel confident in your role.
If you are new within the world of caring, you will need time to develop such confidence, however, the ability to be able to forward-plan and take on tasks using your own initiative will place you in a very good position to find job satisfaction within this sector.
If you are thinking of applying within the care sector then just take a look at support assistant jobs and the job description details, this will indicate to you if feel you are the right person for the job or not.
Being Flexible
As well as being independent you will need to be flexible. Things do not always go the way you expect and when this occurs your job involves deciding the best way to complete the task or move forward. Having a flexible approach to how you handle situations will be of much benefit – both to you and to your patient.
Being Professional
As is the case with all jobs, it is up to you to take pride in what you do and to be professional in fulfilling your responsibilities. Care and support work is promoted by the National Association of Care and Support Workers as a profession – this being that it is a career of choice, that a clear career path is present and that this should be rewarded appropriately.
If you are dedicated to giving a standard of care that is very high, as well as according to good ethics, you will prove to be valued within this sector.
Being Respectful
An essential quality of all care workers is that of respect. Patients need to be shown respect at all times. All care workers need to recognise that every client is unique and has their own specific needs. If you have the ability to make people in your care, feel comfortable and relaxed you will be able to build a good rapport with them.
Being Compassionate And Having Empathy
A person who is compassionate has strong emotions towards someone else (this can be negative is positive), this quality is vital for care workers. However, showing empathy goes a step further and means that the individual understands the feelings of another person to the point that they ‘put themselves in their shoes’, so to speak, to be able to fully relate to them.
One example of this would be a client that is having a visit from a family member. You will feel their excitement but also feel other emotions they may have related to the upcoming visit and your response to your client will show how sincere you are in your role.
A Cheery Disposition
Having a cheery disposition is part and parcel of customer service in the world of care.
Of course, no one feels happy and cheery all day, every day, but being able to put a smile on your face as well as having a positive tone to your voice will help your clients to feel connected and will create a better environment for everyone.
Being Patient
Within the industry of care, there are various sectors that will call for different qualities, however, the quality of patience will be useful in all sectors. So many situations need it, day in and day out.
There may be a delay when you are looking for information or a task that you thought would take two minutes may take 20. Whatever the case, patience will ensure that your clients do not feel rushed.
