Sample Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor Resume
Contact information
Lara R. Joyce
14 Street
The City of New York
NY
Career objective
Looking for a challenging position of the Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor Resume the reputed University with a view to use my wide experience for the benefit of the organization.
Educational history
Dyffryn Comprehensive School
General Certificate of Education 1976
Subject
English language
English literature
Human biology
Sociology
Cookery
Art
Art and design
Afon College 1978
Pre-nursing course
Health Authority 1980
State Enrolled Nurse
Health Authority 1989
Registered General Nurse
Afon College 1996
National Vocational Qualification Level 3
“Aromatherapy and massage”
Neath County Borough Council Life Long Learning - currently undertaken
National Vocational Qualification Level 4
“Management course”
Awards
1976 Duke of Edinburgh award Bronze
1977 Duke of Edinburgh award Silver
1978 Duke of Edinburgh award Gold
2001 December
“Outstanding contribution to the community award” by the Neath Guardian.
This was given to me in recognition of my services to the “everybody’s gateway club”
2005 April
Nominated for an “employer award” from the “Life Long Learning Services”
Further professional training
My interest in diabetes started in 1989 when I did the “diabetic nursing course” welsh board certificate level, mid and west Wales college of nursing and midwifery.
Afon Cruse October 1989
Understanding bereavement
Health Authority June 1990
Supervisory management course
This was a day release course held between 18/1/90 and 20/6/90
Afon Cruse Feb 1990
Bereavement counseling
This was a two day course 2-3/2/90
Health Authority April 1991
Mentorship study day
Royal College of Nursing Wales April 1991
Self medication course
Health Authority March 1992
Aggression study day
Royal Gwent Health Authority April 1992
Cardiac rehabilitation
Part 1
Royal Gwent Health Authority April 1992
Cardiac rehabilitation
Part 2
University College Swansea: Advanced Professional Training Unit July 1992
Women into management
This involved training for two hours a week between 6/5/92 and 8/6/92
Mid and West Wales College of Nursing and Midwifery June 1994
Care of the dying patient and his family
This was a day release course between April and June 1994
Welsh Regional Group I.C.N.A. June 1995 Council
Aspects of infection control
Mid and West Wales College of Nursing and Midwifery Feb 1996
Diabetic nursing
This was a day release course held between Nov 95 and Feb 96
Neath General Hospital May 1996
Phlebotomy course
Glan-Y-Moor Trust May 1996
Lifting and handling
Glan-Y-Moor Trust May 1996
Continence update
Glan-Y-More Trust June 1996
Vaccine update
Glan-Y-Moor Trust June 1996
Anaphylaxis update
Glan-Y-More Trust Sep 1996
Insertion of airway training
Glan-Y-Moor Trust Jan 1997
Tuberculosis update
Glan-Y-More Trust Feb 1997
Blood borne diseases
Glan-Y-Moor Trust June 1997
Intravenous drugs study day
Marie Curie Cancer Care March 1998
Cefn Coed Hospital
Foundations of palliative care
This was a two day course
Royal College of Nursing Wales April1999
Dealing with difficult wounds and fungating wound management
Royal College of Nursing Wales Dec 2002
“Pain management in the older person”
Skill paths seminars Jun/Jul 2003
Dealing effectively with unacceptable employee behaviour
This course was five days long and spread over two months
Royal College of Nursing Wales Jun 2003
Certificate in management and leadership skills for managers and deputies of care homes
Royal College of Nursing Wales May 2003
What’s on the agenda- current issues in nursing practice?
Royal College of Nursing Wales Jul 2003
Managing risk in drug administration
Royal College of Nursing Wales Oct 2003
Managing neurological disorders
National Public Health Service of Wales Nov 2003
Infection control for managers
Neath County Borough Council Social Services and Housing Directorate:
Training and Development Nov 2003
Good practice in receiving allegations
Skill paths seminars Feb 2004
Coaching and team building skills for managers and supervisors
Neath County Borough Council Mar 2004
Influencing skills in management
Skill paths seminars Mar 2004
Managing multiple projects, objectives and deadlines
Neath County Borough Council Life Long Learning Dec 2004
Team development and problem solving
Voluntary Services Agency, Neath Jun 2005
Protection of vulnerable adults Level 1
Royal College of Nursing Wales Jul 2005
National falls awareness day seminar- be steady be strong!
Direct Nursing Services Dec 2005
Drug administration and record keeping course
Royal College of Nursing Wales Nov 2005
Learning representative’s course
Neath Local Health Board Jan 2006
Insomnia and the use of sleeping tablets/ diabetic myths
Wound Management
Fireright Mar 2007
Fire safety training
Parkinson Society April 2007
Parkinson’s disease update
Abbott Nutrition April 2007
Consequences of malnutrition
Evergreen May 2007
Cosh, health and safety, manual handling
Neath Local Health Board May 2007
Medication Awareness
Ambulance Service Sept 2007
CPR training
Homeward Jan 2008
Peg update
Evergreen May 2008
Cosh, Manual handling, health and safety
Life Long Learning Jun 2008
Managing Safety
Evergreen Sept 2008
Pova level two
Neath Local Health Board Oct 2008
Medication update
Ambulance Service Nov 2008
CPR training
Healthcare Training Jan 2009
Wound and Pressure Area Care
Wound care Liaison Nurse Feb 2009
Creams and Portions
Homeward April 2009
BMI, Malnutrition
Evergreen May 2009
Cosh, Health and Safety
Fireright Jun 2009 Employment history
Health Authority 1980-1988
Neath General Hospital
State Enrolled Nurse
Health Authority June 1989-Dec 1989
Neath General Hospital
Medical Ward
D-grade Staff Nurse
Health Authority Dec1989-Nov 1993
Neath General Hospital
Medical Ward
E-grade Staff Nurse
Health Authority Nov 1993-May 1994
Neath General Hospital
Medical Ward
Acting F-grade
Health Authority May 1994-Mar 1996
Neath General Hospital
Medical Ward
Senior E-grade
Health Authority Mar 1996-Sep 1996
Neath locality
“Relief community nurse”
Health Authority Sep 1996-Aug 2002
Neath Locality
“E-grade community nurse”
Baglan Lodge Nursing Home Aug 2002-June 2006
Matron/Manager
Taibach Nursing Home June 2006 – Dec 2009
Matron/Manager
Trinity Nurse Agency - ongoing.
Most recent employment: responsibilities and functions
Trinity Nurse Agency - Helping with day to day running of agency. Covering holiday periods. Interviewing staff , monitering and dealing with any issues,providing nurse and carer cover for outside agencys, homes, health cenbtres.
Also, I was previously employed as the “matron/manager” of Taibach Nursing and Residential Home. As such I am proud of the reputation that this establishment had within the care profession, the community at large and among the families of residents. It had been a struggle, but I like to think that we had arrived at the point where we can honestly say that our care was second to none. To achieve this I have had to assume ultimate responsibility both for clinical operations and management functions.
Previous Matron of Taibach
In my previousrole as matron not only did I actively provide clinical care to my patients / residents but I also give advice, clinical leadership and example to the nurses and carers who work with me. I was able to draw upon my previous experience both as a nurse based in hospital and also as a community nurse to provide the excellent standards of care that we all expect at Taibach.
Clinical decision making
All patients / residentswere seen every day and through out the day. Whenever a problem arose I assessed that problem decided on further management, be it to manage the problem within the home, or to refer to a general practitioner, another healthcare professional or social services. At all times I was aware not only of my capabilities but also my professional limitations and I operate accordingly within those boundaries.
Counseling
I am a certified Cruse counselor and I have had experience in dealing with bereavement counseling since 1997. This type of counseling has a very positive effect on terminally ill patients and their families. It is part of the package of “palliative care” that we provided.
Palliative care
The training I have previously received on the care of the dying patient had provided me with a foundation in palliative care upon which I have developed my current level of clinical expertise. I managed patients / residentswith terminal illness on a regular basis within the community, and at the home at Taibach I had the opportunity to continue managing terminal illness. The palliative care that we provided was holistic and took into account patients / residents’ physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs. It begins with good communication and allowed the patients / residentsto air their anxieties and express their suffering. If patients / residentswere unable to verbalize as was often the case then it involved careful attention to non-verbal body language. Furthermore we ensured symptom management which entailed close liaison with our medical colleagues and the appropriate delivery of medicines which may include syringe-drivers. Not only did we offer counseling, as mentioned above, but also we provided diversion therapy, aromatherapy and family interaction. We also taught our patients relaxation techniques.
Throughout this process I encouraged a positive focus on the dignity of the patient / residentsboth in life and in death. Always included the family members in this process.
Pain management
Complementing my interest in palliative care I had an interest in pain management. I attended a pain management course in 2002 which had given me the foundation on which to develop a clinical approach to pain in my patients / residents. I understand that pain may present itself in various ways and may be a function of many problems- not necessarily physical. I engaged my staff and encouraged them to understand and manage pain within our broad agenda of holistic care
Wound management
As a community nurse working in primary care I gained extensive experience in the management of wounds and ulcers and the use of dressings. This has been reinforced by various episodes of formal training that I have received. I was therefore able to share my experiences and expertise with other staff.
Diabetes management
My interest in diabetes started in 1989 when I did the “diabetic nursing course” provided by the Mid and West Wales College of Nursing and Midwifery. I maintained my awareness of this disease and its ever improving management by attending update courses. This chronic condition is becoming ever more prevalent, especially in the residential /nursing home population. I was able to provide clinical leadership in general and also with regard to this disease.
Managing neurological problems
Not only did we receive elderly patients, but we also received younger patients who are suffering from brain injuries. They present their own specific management problems. It was because of this that I undertook special training in 2003 that was provided by the royal college of nursing on this subject. This training has given me added confidence when dealing with this type of patient.
Protection of vulnerable adults
All of the patients / residentsat Taibach were vulnerable in the sense that they are elderly and requiring some degree of care or suffering from neurological and cognitive impairment. The N.S.F. for the elderly and for mental health are documents which have influenced the care that I and my team gave our patients / residents. This is in addition to the clinical training I have received in dealing with vulnerable adults. Their nursing care encompasses a wide range of disability and impairment that means that no two days were ever the same.
Patient empowerment
Care within Taibach was not only passive and reactive, but also proactive. We believed that patients / residentsshould be encouraged to live as independently as possible to life’s end. We encouraged self worth and self esteem by the use of motivational techniques, group interaction and skills training.
Previous Manager of Taibach Nursing Home
The delivery of effective health care within Taibach requires not only clinical commitment but also an effective operational and strategic management plan. Since my arrival I had worked with staff inside the home, healthcare professionals, and outside agencies to develop such plans thereby allowing us to achieve the clinical standards that wereaccepted as the norm. Confidentiality was also paramount across the board.
Internal relationships
Whilst bearing in mind the regulatory constraints of the Royal College of Nursing, Social Services, LHB and the Care Standards Agency I have developed protocols and procedures for all of the functions carried out at Taibach. To disseminate this information I meet regularly with everybody as follows.
Clinical meetings
Monthly meetings with senior nursing staff. This allowed us to discuss and implement policy and to analyse various operational and clinical issues as they arise. Plans of action are developed and subsequently cascaded through to all members of the team
Non-clinical meetings
Monthly meetings with senior members of the carer team, kitchen team, laundry team and maintenance team.
Monthly meeting with all members of the carer team.
These meetings allowed a two way transfer of information and they provided me with the opportunity to meet problems head on. Whilst I believed in giving staff the appropriate level of autonomy I continually reinforced the concept that acting within one’s abilities also means knowing one’s limitations and knowing when and from where to seek help. I told my staff that I would rather know about a problem sooner rather than later. Within my role as matron/manager I was ultimately responsible for the actions of my staff and during my working hours there I am able to maintain an appropriate level of supervision. I was also available out of hours for advice and help. As a team member and leader I too operated within guidelines and protocols which include pathways for seeking help if a situationwas beyond me.
Appraisal/work force planning/autonomy
When I assumed my post I reviewed all the staffs job descriptions and I had recently updated these documents. Throughout the year I would carry out informal assessments of staff and their competencies every 8 weeks, and if there are any problems I am happy to provide guidance and support. However all staff were formally appraised on an annual basis. This provided me with a mechanism for structured feedback to staff, and it provided staff the means to identify their current competencies and their future learning needs for the next year. It also allowed me to determine the level of autonomy and supervision that individual members of staff may require which in turn allowed me to carry out strategic and operational work force planning. At all times it was imperative that I was able to use the skill mix within the staff appropriately and maintain the daily care of our residents /patients. This usually required a large amount of flexibility and goodwill on the part of all concerned.
External relationships
We had a very close relationship with the local general practitioners, speech and language therapists, dieticians, physiotherapists, community pharmacists, chiropodists, opticians, dentists, and specialist nurses in diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, respiratory disease, and wound care and skin care. We also interact with Social Services, the Care Standards Agency, and Local Health Board. And regularly involved with screening and liasoning with the outside agents to achieve this role.
Social Services
I interacted with this agency on two levels. Firstly when patients / residentswere considered for placement within Taibach I worked with social workers, LHB to develop a plan of care. This ensured that facilities and appropriate paperwork and services were put in place to meet the needs of the patient in question. Secondly Social Services, LHB, CSSIW annually inspected the institution as well as carrying out spot checks. I was closely involved in this process. I am pleased to say that at all times Taibach had always met the required standards with regards to the care environment, staff training, and relationships with families, physical resources and equipment.
Care Standards Agency.
The care standards agency performs annual and spot checks of Taibach in a similar manner to that of Social Services, LHB. The agency has consistently commended the home for the care that I and the staff hadprovided.
Fire service
The fire service performs an annual inspection of the premises and also weekly checks on fire alarms. All members of staff undergo evacuation training from the fire service on an annual basis.
Clinical governance
We at Taibach maintained the highest levels of clinical standards and practice. This has been consistently demonstrated by external inspection and informal feedback both from relatives and other healthcare agencies. The staff always worked as a team to provide holistic care to residents /patients in a happy and safe environment. As part of our commitment to clinical governance I had developed and implemented policies which dealt with the following issues;
Discrimination
Record keeping
Medicines management
Risk management
Competency Training and assessment that meets occupational standards
Manual handling,
Infection control
Turning of patients
Wound care management
Patient health assessment
Fire training
Health and safety procedures
Food handling/hygiene
Equipment training
C.O.S.H. training and awareness
Pova training
Challenging Behaviour training
Peg Feed training
Palliative Care training
Dementia training
CPR training
First Aid training
Anaphylaxis training
Swine Flu training
Daily Paper work
The profiles I had devised and used for the daily documentation of the patients / residentswas complex but effective.
Essential to monitor their progress / different items reviewed Saturday, Sunday every week
Included following items:
Kardex Nursing problems, goals and outcomes
Crighten Royal
Bartels form
Dependency form
Waterlow Form
Blood pressure and pulse forms
Pressure area skeletal charts
Turning charts
Bmi sheet and weight
Food intake documentation – if a problem occurs
GP visit and documentation sheet
Professional visit sheet, for social worker, Lhb, dietitian visits etc
Key workers monthly sheet
Activities sheet
Likes and dislikes sheet
Medication review sheet
Risk assessments
Cotside implement sheet
Continence assessment sheet
contracts
Adverse incidents
Whilst it was our aim to never have an adverse incident we must accept that if situations do arise. Each incident would be assessed on an individual basis and an incident report form (IR1) is the legal document that we use to case manage the problem. I manage incidents in an open and fair way. I feel that it is more important to learn from events than it is to apportion blame. IR1 forms are reviewed every month and the lessons learned are implemented accordingly. As regards near misses we have a no blame reporting culture. They were documented and reported to the owners of Taibach but operational responsibility remains with me to risk assess the situation and manage any required change to policies and procedures.
Information management and technology
I used I.T. however all policies and procedureswere stored on local hard drives. These could be printed and presented upon request. I used e-mail regularly to communicate with outside agencies. Under my supervision the Administration manager used spreadsheets to manage the staff payroll, duty roster and leave register.
Strategy
With the help of the Administration manager I provided a direction for the home. I had put systems in place that were working smoothly to maintain and improve the care provided and to empower within a team individual members of staff. Operational strategy is more than the daily provision of care however: it also involved forward planning and direction for the home whilst complying with any and every new piece of legislation that has a bearing on our operation.
With this in mind I meet with the owners every 2/3 weeks of Taibach. Usually contact on a day to day basis to discuss the development and implementation of the business plan that we have put in place since I joined in June 2006.
I feel therefore, I have the qualities and experience to succeed in this role with your company and would be an assert. As I am able to access, plan, implement and evaluate the care I provide. Have been involved with immunization and screening programmes. Developed teaching programmes to improve knowledge in the home. Able to assess and develop risk assessments and ensure health and safety procedures. And promote health promotion. Also ability to think on my feet in any emergency, and can use my own initative and encourage team spirit. All qualities needed in this role.
Also I have been a district and Practise nurse for several years , acting ward sister on medical unit, and had vast experience of all aspects of nursing covering wards on night duty .
Voluntary work
Everybody’s gateway club
Fundraiser 1995- present
This is a voluntary organization that supports people in the community between the ages of 18 and 60 who are suffering from learning difficulties. Service users include people with Down’s syndrome. Apart from my role as a fundraiser, I actively support the weekly activities of the organization. My greatest achievement within the club is raising 24,000 pounds to help purchase a new mini-bus, which was bought Jan 2005. I continue to fund raise and give my voluntary services every Friday to help run the club and support the individuals and families.
Ladies’ circle
Honnary Member 2005 - present
Member 1994
Activities manager 1994
Entertainments manager 1995
Vice-chairman 1996 /2005
Chairman 1997
This is a fundraising organization. Whilst chairman we raised sufficient funds to pay for the health care needs of a little girl who needed specialist medical attention in the united states of America. Currently we are involved in fund raising for “Yrosyn”, the palliative care day unit at Neath Hospital.
and Afon’s women’s aid
Trustee Dec 2005 - 2009
Meetings occur monthly. Closely involved in the support of women in vulnerable positions. Also contributed to policy and management decisions within the organization.
Royal College of Nursing Wales
Learning representative Nov 2005 - 2009
I am an R.C.N. learning representative. My role is to disseminate clinical information and standards of care to my nursing colleagues and other staff involved in the care of vulnerable adults.
References
Lara R. Joyce
Manager
Wap Company.
Lara_Joyce@gmail.com
