Nicki Lloyd

Nicki Lloyd - Health Care Support Worker (HCSW)

My name is Nicki Lloyd and I am a Health Care Support Worker on Lugg Ward at Hereford County Hospital. My job role involves assisting the nurses with the care of patients on the ward. This can involve personal care, changing beds, taking clinical observations, testing blood sugar levels, emptying catheters, taking ECGs and taking blood samples.

I decided to become a HCSW with Wye Valley Trust as I had been working in Adult Social Care in a variety of rolls for about 16 years, and wanted to gain new skills which working in the community wouldn’t enable me to do, and to further my career whilst staying in a patient facing role.

To become a HCSW, you need to be a real people person. You need to be kind, considerate and caring, showing empathy and compassion towards the patients you are looking after, as they are likely to be feeling nervous or worried about their stay. Effective time management is also a bonus, especially on a busy ward like Lugg!

I love every aspect of my job. Being able to welcome people onto the ward with a smile, keeping their spirits up when they are low, or a shoulder to cry on if needed. When a patient is discharged and leaves hospital, I take great pride in knowing I have helped them get there. I love knowing that I have done my very best to make sure their hospital stay was as good as it could be.

I would definitely encourage people to become a HCSW with Wye Valley Trust if they are interested in a career in Health Care. They offer many opportunities to learn and expand your knowledge and skills. They are an employer that realises the value of good employees, regardless of your experience or pay grade.