Vita Rieksta
Age: 28
Job Title: Community Learning Disability Nurse
Lives: Camberwell
Place of Work: Borough of Greenwich
Educational Background: School in Latvia; University in Latvia & London (Grenwich)
Date of Interview: 15th May 2006
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Hello Vita, first of all can you explain what a Community Learning Disability Nurse does?
Well, the post was designed to help people with learning disabilities who live on their own, in supported accommodation or sometimes in residential care, to live as independently as possible.
A learning disability is an intellectual and social impairment which makes it hard for some people to cope on their own. It isn’t easy to define though and the term covers a spectrum, from people with severe or profound difficulties who require complex and extensive levels of care, through to moderate or borderline cases where people often live on their own and require very little support.
I understand you have only been in the UK for a relatively short time, how did you come to be working in such a specific role?
Well, I was studying at University in Latvia, where I grew up, to get a qualification in public health care. At the end of my first year of studies I travelled to London and through a friend I worked as a volunteer at a home for people with epilepsy and learning disabilities.
I enjoyed the work very much and after some investigation found that I could apply to join a Nursing course at the University of Greenwich. I received a full bursary and was able to complete my training in the UK.
In Latvia healthcare is not centralised as it is here with the NHS and this kind of care doesn’t exist except in pockets of the private health sector. So, to discover this role was fantastic for me. Added to this I am very happy that I was given a community post – it suits me perfectly.
What is significant about the community nature of the role?
It means that compared to working in a specific care centre for example I have a much more varied set of people to work with. My case load is probably bigger, anywhere between 10 and 30 cases, but I enjoy the variation this brings and that I travel around all over the borough to see people and get to know their families. I like to visit the people I work with by bicycle so I have really got to know the area as I ride to see them. This is effectively what the community bit means – going out into the borough to visit people where they are rather than them coming to us.
You make all your visits by bicycle – that must be tiring!
Yes it can be, the areas I cover include Grenwich, Eltham, Abbey Wood, Plumstead and Woolwich. It takes careful planning to ensure I get to see everyone when I need to. I visit on average four of the people I work with each day and then travel back to the office to write up my notes and make the phone calls and do the planning I need to. Using the bike makes it a bit more fun in between.
Do you find the job rewarding?
I do and as well as the different locations, there is great variety in what I do. We work hands on with people to develop ways of understanding information that they need to know. Often information already exists, but may be too difficult for people to understand so we break things down and use visuals to get messages across and help them put it into practice. We work with families and carers especially if there is a change in condition to revise care guidelines and review medications with the doctor.
I guess we are the interface between the people we work with and the services that the NHS provides – making things suitable for them to use and understand.
In an age where self service seems to prevail, whether in shops or even in health care with NHS Direct, it seems refreshing that you are going out to the patients and their families, rather than them coming to you.
Well, I think it reflects the way that many people with learning disabilities are treated now. We are helping them achieve independence and prove that they can live successfully in our society and not in care homes away from everyone else. We get such tremendous feedback from people telling us what an achievement it is to move into their own home or be able to test their own blood sugar and administer their own medication. Some of these people never would have believed they could be self reliant in this way – seeing it happen is very rewarding for them and us.
I understand that you are also involved in developing the role of a learning and disability nurse, as well as working in the role.
Yes, learning disability nurses role in general is still changing and individually you can make a huge creative contribution alongside your main duties. For example I have been involved in setting up what we call a ‘Transition’ project, which is the period when a young person with learning disabilities is leaving school and beginning the next stage of their life. It has been great to be involved in developing the profession and couple academic study with the work I do each day. One of the great things about the role and the organisation is that you can develop your career in many directions according to what you are interested in.
What advice would you give to someone considering a career working with people who have learning disabilities?
I would say that if you are interested then go and find out more – I did this by volunteering at a residential home and it was a fantastic way to get hands on experience of the job before committing to studying on a course or applying for an actual job.
I would also suggest you have a look at the NHS careers web site and take a look at the bursary scheme available to student nurses.
It is a job that makes a real difference to people’s lives.
Good luck in whatever you decide to do!
Find out more about working with people who have learning disabilities by looking at: