Every day hundreds of people work behind the scenes to keep Prince Edward County running. Over the next several months, we will profile a few of the people that are ‘here for our community.’
We continue the series by talking with Adeola Atteh, a Registered Practical Nurse at H.J. McFarland Memorial Home.
Can you start by giving a brief overview of your job?
I provide direct nursing care including administration of medications, transcribing physician orders, providing ongoing assessment of residents’ health status, advocating for the residents as related to their plan of care, identifying and recognizing pertinent changes in resident’s health status and providing the appropriate interventions.
What do you like most about your job and working for the County?
Every day is different, for sure, and has its own challenges. I work with some of the most awesome individuals around, which makes coming to work quite easy for me. Despite the challenges, we are able to pull through together as a team.
I have built a relationship with each resident, which makes it easy to note any abnormal changes in their health and overall well-being and provide the necessary interventions.
How long have you worked with the County?
I started working at HJM as a Registered Practical Nurse in 2016. Over the years, I have been able to get some other credentials and specialized training like the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA), Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI), and Minimum Data Set (MDS), which has been very instrumental with assessments and documentations of residents’ health status and plan of care.
How has COVID-19 impacted your work?
I will say the biggest thing has been the evolving safety protocols that we need to follow, especially around personal protective equipment. We have to make sure we keep our mask on for the most part of the shift, which sometimes impedes our communication with residents, especially those with a hearing impairment.
All staff undergo the COVID testing every two weeks, which is not fun. However, we get some treats like candies, chocolates, and muffins after each test, which makes it a little easier! And the testing is important because it helps ensure the health and safety of the residents — they are the most vulnerable population — and ourselves.
Families don’t get to come into the home as much as they used to anymore. We have to reassure families that their loved ones are being well cared for, and we have to reassure residents that their family members are thinking about them and are concerned about them.
What do you enjoy most about the County?
Even though I don’t live in the County, I enjoy driving down with my family to view the beautiful scenery. I enjoy visiting the beaches in the quiet spots around the County. We have very nice and friendly people around the County.