Nicola W's Profile
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Nicola W
Last active a few weeks ago
322 miles away | Ferndown, BH22
More than 20 years of experience
72 profile views
165+ hours worked
2 Recommendations
By nature I’m non-judgemental, empathetic, compassionate, caring and kind, and I have a sense of humour - I believe this is so important in this line of work. I'm professional, dedicated and motivated, and adept at working autonomously, or as part of a team. I am a Registered Paramedic and w...More By nature I’m non-judgemental, empathetic, compassionate, caring and kind, and I have a sense of humour - I believe this is so important in this line of work. I'm professional, dedicated and motivated, and adept at working autonomously, or as part of a team. I am a Registered Paramedic and worked for the NHS Ambulance Service for 22 years, until recently, responding to emergency and urgent 999 calls. I have worked as a Disability Analyst (PIP assessor), and as a private carer and personal assistant (PA). I also have a BA (hons) in Fine Art. My move into private care work started after a friend asked me to care for his mum when she was discharged home after being under mental health section in hospital for over 7 years. I worked closely with her, her family and her mental health team and through word of mouth I was asked to support other people in their own homes. I found that my Paramedic role and Ambulance Service experience translated really well into private care work, so now I only work supporting people in their own homes and I absolutely love my work. Recently I have found myself supporting three couples - the males all have Dementia and other co-morbidities, including Parkinsons disease, and three of the females have heart conditions and other co-morbidities. My work is varied - I manage all of one couples medication, medical conditions, care and appointments, as well as supporting them with shopping, gardening, admin, some personal care occasionally, regular observations and anything really that they ask me to assist with. The male has recently had to have an abdominal drain which I have monitored and supported him with. Another couple I mostly support as a companion but am also there for support and management of aggressive episodes that the male occasionally has - purely relating to his Dementia. I have recently finished supporting a lovely man with Dementia and Parkinsons disease who now needs residential care - we have made fine silver jewellery and collages together, talked about all sorts, walked and done Parkinsons exercise videos together, done crosswords and quizzes, pottered about the garden, discussed shared interests - music, art, places - and he has set me homework every week, for me to learn all about Architects, Musicians and Artists that he admires. He has also disclosed a lot of information to me about the hallucinations that he experiences with his conditions and this has been very educational for me. One of the ladies I support had just had heart surgery when I started supporting her and her husband and shortly afterwards she had quite a serious stroke. I arrived as it was happening and recognised the signs. She was treated in hospital and discharged 5 days later into my care, along with the early discharge teams support. I have worked very closely with her, doing regular exercises with her and supporting her day to day with her recovery - she is doing incredibly well and we have had lots of fun and laughter. Another lady I support with tasks around the house - cleaning and laundry mainly, but also pet care, occasional shopping and medical support. She will often ask me to help her with 'medical things' - reading hospital letters, checking her blood sugars as she is Diabetic, ordering medication, speaking with her GP and taking observations. I have just completed a level 2 certificate in the 'Principles of Dementia Care' because I really enjoy working closely with people with Dementia. A few years ago I became quite unwell with Covid and long Covid. For some months my memory was shocking - I was not retaining information that I had heard only moments before and I lost big chunks of my memories. I lost confidence and didn't trust myself to drive for several months. I was lucky though and although I am still missing some memories from my past I was able to 'retrain' my brain and recover my ability to remember things, to drive, to return to front line Paramedic work after several months off and to return to living my life independently. People suffering with Dementia are not so lucky and I feel that my experience gave me a glimpse into their 'worlds', which I think is why I feel so passionately about Dementia care. In my 999 role I have vast experience of assessing, triaging, treating, and managing mental health, medical, childbirth and traumatic emergencies. And blue light driving, of course. In my Disability Assessor role I am experienced in assessing the functional ability of people with Learning Difficulties/Disabilities, mental health, medical and physical conditions, using the Biopsychosocial Model, which takes into account that we are all human, and that multiple factors can - and do - contribute to how a person is feeling or managing, and that we have to consider all factors in a situation to gain a good clear picture of how and why a person is struggling to manage, in order that we best support them. In my private carer/PA role, I'm a human being, supporting other human beings in whatever ways they require support, in order to live the best and most comfortable and trouble-free lives that they can, taking into consideration their individual situations and needs. I'm a natural carer and - thanks to my Ambulance Service experience - there is very little of human life and death that I have not experienced. I am well used to finding myself in bizarre and surreal situations. I have found myself up ladders changing light bulbs, donating my lunch, cooking simple meals or fetching a few food items from local shops for patients struggling to cope, I have stripped beds, scrubbed floors, showered patients covered in faeces who have no one else to call and have called 999 in desperation. I have delivered babies, resuscitated babies, children and adults, held the hands of people taking their last breaths, spoken soothing words to them as they have exited this world, knowing that the hearing is the last thing to go, and held the loved ones of those that there is nothing more I can do for. I’ve found myself in ditches in the dark and the pouring rain, resuscitating or trying to save victims of road traffic incidents. I have saved injured Donkey’s, Stag’s and lost dogs on my Ambulance travels. I have called electric companies, gas companies, phone companies, water companies, to sort out issues with supplies, when people have got nowhere using the traditional routes and have called 999 for help - Ambulances are sent to these people to ‘welfare check’ that they are of sound mind - and once we are there, we will help in whatever way we can to resolve whatever problem they are encountering. I have changed a flat tyre on a car for a young couple that I came across on my way across the pitch black Forest, returning to base for a 3am finish. They had no phone signal to call for help and no idea how to change a flat tyre. As an Ambulance Paramedic you become a natural 'trouble-shooter', and you wear many different hats. We are taught early on in our training that we are expected to be whatever/whomever each patient needs us to be. We are adaptable, flexible and great at improvisation when there is no clear cut answer or outcome to a situation, and for me this translates well in to care work. I don't have set ‘things’ that I will or won't consider, and I am happy to take on those jobs or work with those clients that others might find complex or difficult. Equally, I’m happy to chat to anyone who thinks I may be able to help them or someone they know. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you think that I could meet the requirements that you are looking for in a carer.
Hourly
Daily
25 per hour
Short notice care
Short notice care
25 per hour
Overnight
Sleeping
220 per 8 hour
Waking
28 per hour
Vetted & approved
All Curam carers go through a comprehensive checking process before they receive our “Vetted & approved” status
DBS/PVG/NI Access
Enhanced
Interview status
Interviewed
Photo comparison
Verified
Nicola w is insured for care work carried out through Curam platform
See details
Two checkable references available on request from the carer
By nature I’m non-judgemental, empathetic, compassionate, caring and kind, and I have a sense of humour - I believe this is so important in this line of work. I'm professional, dedicated and motivated, and adept at working autonomously, or as part of a team. I am a Registered Paramedic and w...More By nature I’m non-judgemental, empathetic, compassionate, caring and kind, and I have a sense of humour - I believe this is so important in this line of work. I'm professional, dedicated and motivated, and adept at working autonomously, or as part of a team. I am a Registered Paramedic and worked for the NHS Ambulance Service for 22 years, until recently, responding to emergency and urgent 999 calls. I have worked as a Disability Analyst (PIP assessor), and as a private carer and personal assistant (PA). I also have a BA (hons) in Fine Art. My move into private care work started after a friend asked me to care for his mum when she was discharged home after being under mental health section in hospital for over 7 years. I worked closely with her, her family and her mental health team and through word of mouth I was asked to support other people in their own homes. I found that my Paramedic role and Ambulance Service experience translated really well into private care work, so now I only work supporting people in their own homes and I absolutely love my work. Recently I have found myself supporting three couples - the males all have Dementia and other co-morbidities, including Parkinsons disease, and three of the females have heart conditions and other co-morbidities. My work is varied - I manage all of one couples medication, medical conditions, care and appointments, as well as supporting them with shopping, gardening, admin, some personal care occasionally, regular observations and anything really that they ask me to assist with. The male has recently had to have an abdominal drain which I have monitored and supported him with. Another couple I mostly support as a companion but am also there for support and management of aggressive episodes that the male occasionally has - purely relating to his Dementia. I have recently finished supporting a lovely man with Dementia and Parkinsons disease who now needs residential care - we have made fine silver jewellery and collages together, talked about all sorts, walked and done Parkinsons exercise videos together, done crosswords and quizzes, pottered about the garden, discussed shared interests - music, art, places - and he has set me homework every week, for me to learn all about Architects, Musicians and Artists that he admires. He has also disclosed a lot of information to me about the hallucinations that he experiences with his conditions and this has been very educational for me. One of the ladies I support had just had heart surgery when I started supporting her and her husband and shortly afterwards she had quite a serious stroke. I arrived as it was happening and recognised the signs. She was treated in hospital and discharged 5 days later into my care, along with the early discharge teams support. I have worked very closely with her, doing regular exercises with her and supporting her day to day with her recovery - she is doing incredibly well and we have had lots of fun and laughter. Another lady I support with tasks around the house - cleaning and laundry mainly, but also pet care, occasional shopping and medical support. She will often ask me to help her with 'medical things' - reading hospital letters, checking her blood sugars as she is Diabetic, ordering medication, speaking with her GP and taking observations. I have just completed a level 2 certificate in the 'Principles of Dementia Care' because I really enjoy working closely with people with Dementia. A few years ago I became quite unwell with Covid and long Covid. For some months my memory was shocking - I was not retaining information that I had heard only moments before and I lost big chunks of my memories. I lost confidence and didn't trust myself to drive for several months. I was lucky though and although I am still missing some memories from my past I was able to 'retrain' my brain and recover my ability to remember things, to drive, to return to front line Paramedic work after several months off and to return to living my life independently. People suffering with Dementia are not so lucky and I feel that my experience gave me a glimpse into their 'worlds', which I think is why I feel so passionately about Dementia care. In my 999 role I have vast experience of assessing, triaging, treating, and managing mental health, medical, childbirth and traumatic emergencies. And blue light driving, of course. In my Disability Assessor role I am experienced in assessing the functional ability of people with Learning Difficulties/Disabilities, mental health, medical and physical conditions, using the Biopsychosocial Model, which takes into account that we are all human, and that multiple factors can - and do - contribute to how a person is feeling or managing, and that we have to consider all factors in a situation to gain a good clear picture of how and why a person is struggling to manage, in order that we best support them. In my private carer/PA role, I'm a human being, supporting other human beings in whatever ways they require support, in order to live the best and most comfortable and trouble-free lives that they can, taking into consideration their individual situations and needs. I'm a natural carer and - thanks to my Ambulance Service experience - there is very little of human life and death that I have not experienced. I am well used to finding myself in bizarre and surreal situations. I have found myself up ladders changing light bulbs, donating my lunch, cooking simple meals or fetching a few food items from local shops for patients struggling to cope, I have stripped beds, scrubbed floors, showered patients covered in faeces who have no one else to call and have called 999 in desperation. I have delivered babies, resuscitated babies, children and adults, held the hands of people taking their last breaths, spoken soothing words to them as they have exited this world, knowing that the hearing is the last thing to go, and held the loved ones of those that there is nothing more I can do for. I’ve found myself in ditches in the dark and the pouring rain, resuscitating or trying to save victims of road traffic incidents. I have saved injured Donkey’s, Stag’s and lost dogs on my Ambulance travels. I have called electric companies, gas companies, phone companies, water companies, to sort out issues with supplies, when people have got nowhere using the traditional routes and have called 999 for help - Ambulances are sent to these people to ‘welfare check’ that they are of sound mind - and once we are there, we will help in whatever way we can to resolve whatever problem they are encountering. I have changed a flat tyre on a car for a young couple that I came across on my way across the pitch black Forest, returning to base for a 3am finish. They had no phone signal to call for help and no idea how to change a flat tyre. As an Ambulance Paramedic you become a natural 'trouble-shooter', and you wear many different hats. We are taught early on in our training that we are expected to be whatever/whomever each patient needs us to be. We are adaptable, flexible and great at improvisation when there is no clear cut answer or outcome to a situation, and for me this translates well in to care work. I don't have set ‘things’ that I will or won't consider, and I am happy to take on those jobs or work with those clients that others might find complex or difficult. Equally, I’m happy to chat to anyone who thinks I may be able to help them or someone they know. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you think that I could meet the requirements that you are looking for in a carer.
Specialist care
Early stage dementia
Late stage dementia
COPD
Stroke
Parkinson's disease
Incontinence
Physical disabilities
Autism spectrum disorder
Mental health
Brain injuries
Spinal injuries
Cerebral palsy
Occupational therapy
Physiotherapy
Palliative care
Schizophrenia
Huntington's disease
Motor neurone disease
Down's syndrome
Diabetes
Arthritis
Multiple sclerosis
Learning disability
Eating disorders
Bipolar disorder
Depression
Epilepsy
Visual and hearing impairments
Self-harm
Obsessive compulsive disorder
Tourette's syndrome
Borderline personality disorder
Dysphagia
Anaphylaxis
Continence/incontinence
Long covid
Anxiety
+34
Personal care
Dressing/undressing
Bathroom assistance
Personal care
Mobility assistance
Exercise
Eating and drinking assistance
Moving and Handling
Companionship and house tasks
Languages spoken
Basic French and Spanish
Interests and hobbies
Art/Culture
Computers & Technology
Cooking
Crosswords
Exercise
Food & Wine
Gardening
Movies
Music
Reading
Sport
Travel
Jewellery making
any type of crafting
Has driving licence
Owns a car
Pet friendly
Non-smoker
Client recommendations
Alison C
10 Dec 2023
Excellent
Nicky is a conscientious care provider who works really well with my elderly Mother. She breezes through her routine efficiently & communicates with a natural ease. The rapport she builds with her clients is outstanding.
Pam B
18 Aug 2023
Excellent
Nicky is an absolute find. She gave me complete confidence and worked extremely well with my husband. Our circumstances have changed now as our care needs have increased and Nicky is already committed elsewhere. I fully recommend her.
Nicola W's microteam
Here’s my backup
Kev W
Within a mile
18 years of experience
Vetted & approved
All Curam carers go through a comprehensive checking process before they receive our “Vetted & approved”status
DBS/PVG/NI Access
Enhanced
Interview status
Interviewed
Photo comparison
Verified
Nicola w is insured for care work carried out through Curam platform
See details
Two checkable references available on request from the carer