As part of Deaf Awareness Week, we spoke to Becky East, healthcare assistant in the recovery area of our Cambridge eye unit.
What’s your role in our hospitals?
I am a healthcare assistant working in the recovery area of the Cambridge eye unit. I also help out in theatres and on the ward.
The Cambridge eye unit is a day case facility with two dedicated operating theatres, recovery area and a 10-bedded ward.
Tell us a bit about your CUH journey
Prior to joining the eye unit team I worked for five years in paediatric recovery. The Covid pandemic and the requirement to wear a mask, coupled with my hearing loss, made it really difficult for me to effectively carry out my role, so after 18 months of continuous challenges I moved to the eye unit. I am extremely grateful to the matron in recovery, ‘Fliss’, who took the time to understand my situation and source a solution for me.
What does a usual day look like?
On a typical day it is my responsibility to make sure all the equipment we need for the day and that it is in clean and working order. I observe in theatre and am learning how to assist the scrub nurse too. I am trained in airway management, perform vital signs checks and assess blood sugars if required.
I also assist with the patients – holding their hand if they require a local procedure and helping in recovery. I like to put them at ease by keeping them informed and by letting them know what is happening. I also offer those all-important refreshments!
I work with an amazing ream who is always ready to help.
How have things changed for you during Covid-19?
As I have hearing loss, I’m used to not hearing what people say, but with face coverings I have found things more challenging. Cloth and surgical masks not only muffle speech, they also hide the face and lips. For people like me with hearing loss, that means hearing and understanding what is being said becomes much more difficult and lip reading becomes impossible. Plus any background noise makes it even harder and more frustrating. I often felt isolated and my feelings of isolation became the new normal for a long period of time.
I have just been given a Roger On™ device which is for hearing aid users. It has a variety of different settings, one of which reduces background noise and so boosts my hearing performance. This equipment was recommended by Access to Work and I received it after having an assessment, thanks to Fliss.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
What I enjoy most about my role is assisting my colleagues in every way possible - by being on time and supporting them. I like to be helpful.
By helping my colleagues to do their job by giving them more time, it not only makes their job more rewarding and enjoyable, it also improves the patient experience and makes me feel valued and appreciated.
I love to have a brief chat with all the patients I meet as it seems to cheer them up a little and I too feel rewarded.
I also value the career development and ongoing learning here at CUH. I’m currently training to do cannulation for those patients requiring a general anaesthetic, supported by the anaesthetist, which I’m very grateful for.
Why did you want to share your CUH story with us?
As a person with hearing loss, I want to raise awareness of the difficulties I and other colleagues face with people wearing surgical masks due to Covid-19. I’m grateful that CUH is an inclusive workplace and somewhere where all staff feel they are able to bring their whole selves to work.
I feel extremely proud of all members of staff for their achievements and the care they offer.
I am extremely proud to work at CUH. We all help and support each other, regardless of our abilities.
We should continue to bring out the best in each other - I think this is vital.