At just 14 years old Amanda McKie started caring for people with learning disabilities after answering an ad in the Huddersfield Examiner for volunteers – and she’s our shining beacon during Learning Disability Week.
She’s our Consultant Nurse for Learning Disabilities, Amanda McKie, she’s got a teddy bear named after her and admits “ I’ve never wanted to do anything else. The work is diverse and challenging - and that’s why I'm still here. No two days are the same.”
She shares her teddy bear story. "One example that has stayed with me is a lady who had come in for breast cancer care. I found out that she loves teddy bears, and, knowing we had some in A&E, I went and got one, which I gave to her before she went in for surgery. She instantly bonded with it, which helped to keep her calm and able to cope with what was happening. After the op, the surgeon emailed me with their thanks, and said the teddy had made such a difference to the whole experience. They told me that the lady had called the bear Amanda. After the operation, I made a home visit to the family, more to support the lady’s 85year-old mum, who, to be honest, was struggling with the situation much more than her daughter. These are the moments that make this job so rewarding.”
She advises anything thinking about this field: “Don’t be afraid to have mad ideas that you don’t know if they will work! They might well work in our learning disability world. Be a people person, have a sense of humour and most of all, be flexible – these patients always surprise you!"
Her first job as a learning disability nurse was as a staff nurse at CHFT and she’s been here for 15 years now, becoming the first Learning Disabilities Matron in an acute setting locally. She’s now a Nurse Consultant for people with learning disabilities, supporting and caring for them as well as having other responsibilities such training, education, audits, improvement work.
The Trust is celebrating Learning Disabilities Week with walk arounds the wards at CRH today and HRI tomorrow. A Learning Disabilities-themed quiz with a prize awarded to the winner at the end of the week will be shared on leaflets.
** Kirklees and Calderdale will also be holding activities throughout the week, including picnics and a fashion show! Please see the below documents for more details on the events happening within our local communities.
