Caroline Ngwenya – Registered Nurse

“I enjoy working with people, that’s a big part of why I love doing what I do.”

Hello, my name is Caroline and I have been part of the nursing team at Robertson Nursing Home since 2017. Ever since I was a little girl I said I wanted to be a nurse, when the other children would play with dolls I wanted to take care of them and pretend to nurse them back to health. My mum was a nurse, which influenced me so much growing up. I would see her go to work and take care of people which really inspired me.

I enjoy working with people, that’s a big part of why I love doing what I do. Before coming to Robertson I had worked in other nursing homes and spent some time working in hospitals. It’s quite a different experience working in hospitals in the sense that, at a nursing home you get to see residents regularly and build relationships with them, but in a hospital patients are often coming and going so you don’t have the chance to get to know anyone.

At the end of 2017 I joined the team at Robertson Nursing Home as a Registered Nurse. I was just passing by one day and saw the home, I was moving into the area so thought I would pop in to see if they had any jobs available. I didn’t have an appointment, just knocked on the door and the first person I met was Penny. She was so welcoming and friendly straight away. I knew from that moment that this is somewhere I wanted to work and was determined to get the job here. That was my very first impression of Robertson and it is a memory that has stayed with me.

My role at the home involves looking after our residents and contributing to their care, as well as assisting and supervising the care staff. I am also quite closely involved with the families of our residents, keeping in contact with them and updating them on the wellbeing of their loved ones. Part of my responsibilities is to help make sure things at the home run smoothly, particularly when the Home Manager isn’t around. Each day at the home can be quite different and my role is a very varied one.

When I look at the residents and see they are happy and that the carers are treating them well, that makes me very glad. It’s important to all of us that the residents are treated as if they are in their own home and are able to make their own choices, they feel comfortable and have their independence here.

I really enjoy the teamwork here. When we work as a team with the carers and there is good communication, it helps to make the days go quite easily. I particularly enjoy working with Gabi as our Home Manager, she values us and sets a good example for communication which passes on to all the nurses and care staff. Everyone here is very cooperative, they are ready to help each over whenever it is needed. There is a really good atmosphere in the home, you don’t feel pressured and on edge with the manager watching over your shoulder, we all feel at ease and at home here.

What I find different about working for Robertson and Beritaz Care, compared to other places I have worked is that here you are really valued, you feel like you are part of the team and part of the company. They recognise when someone is doing well in their role and will promote those that work hard, it feels like there is a career path here for us not just a job. I really enjoy the training that I have been given during my time at Robertson. We are encouraged to further our skills, Gabi always tells us to let her know if we want any training and she will enrol us for it.

I really enjoy working at Robertson, the home environment, the teamwork and the relationships I get to build with the residents make it an enjoyable place to come to work each day.