Lilian Afele

My name is Lilian Afele. I am a registered nurse with a solid background in patient care developed in Samoa. Having travelled and moved in New Zealand, I was enthusiastic and felt ready to advance my career back home through a graduate diploma course offered by Whitireia Polytechnic Institution to elevate nursing expertise and career development. I am committed to providing compassionate care through effective communication, teamwork, as well as professional growth. I aim to create a positive impact on the lives of patients, and their whanau and make a meaningful contribution to the healthcare system in New Zealand.

• Tracy Narbey, tracy.narbey@whitireia.ac.nz
• Mae Cottham, Mae.Cottham@waitematadhb.govt.nz

• Waitemata DHB Northshore Hospital- Emergency Department, Pre-registration Placement 9 Weeks, learned to manage time effectively in a high-pressure environment, prioritize tasks and vindicate efficiency
• Connect patients to monitor and regularly measure blood pressure, heart rate, checked oxygen saturation, and respiratory rate which are crucial for patients presented with cardiovascular and respiratory problems.
• Ability to gain proficiency in performing ECGs, and informed doctors to get ECG sighted, which are vital for diagnosing cardiac issues.,
• Assess, plan, implement and evaluate patient care consistently alongside other members of the healthcare team such as nurses, physiotherapists, doctors, occupational therapists and many more.,
• Administering medications via IV lines, oral medicines and IV fluids as charted by the doctor., Learn when and how to prepare BIPAP machines with patients presenting with heavy breathing especially people who have history of COPD in emergency resus area.,
• Participated in resuscitation simulations organized by ED doctors and clinical charge nurses to enhance knowledge and prepared staff members for patients admitted with severe health conditions.,
• Ability to contact 777 with a specific healthcare team depending on the given scenario. For instance, hyperacute stroke for patients admitted to resus with possible CVA/stroke presentation, Learn to document patient's assessment, interventions and outcomes accurately,
• Work effectively with nurses to gain understanding in providing nursing care to Diabetic Ketoacidosis cases, checked protocol and action the plan accordingly.,
• Learned how to implement ED best care bundle pathway to manage specific conditions such as falls, chest pain, vertigo, and collapse case presentation.,
• Performed and enhanced assessment skills, repeated blood from IVL, run venous blood gas via ED radiometer machine, do PCR and run it through cobas liat machine with patients who presented with flu symptoms,
• Establish rapport with patients and whanau in crisis situation and provide emotional support when needed,
• Build positive relationships with work colleagues and acknowledged feedback to enhance nursing practice in the future.

Waitemata DHB Northshore Hospital, Acute Placement (MEDICAL ADU WARD), 

• Developed knowledge on acute conditions, enhanced understanding of admissions, discharge processes and flow in Assessment Diagnostic Unit.,
• Ability to provide care for postop patients such as monitoring vital signs, checking wound sites, administered pain medication, checking IDC, look for dressing suction- all under RN supervision.,
• Gaining experience in giving oral, intravenous medications. Learning drug interactions, side effects and the importance of accurate dosing.,
• Caring for patients with chronic conditions such as COPD, heart disease and helping to manage their conditions during acute flare-ups.,
• Performed assessments such as pain assessment, abdominal and wound assessment- (change wound dressing),
• Participate in strict infection control measures to prevent hospital acquired infections,
• Ability to do ECGs and informed doctor about result, do swap, fill lab form and send it to the lab via Lamson tube,
• Assist patient's personal care especially patients with decreased mobility,
• Moving and Handling techniques eg: pat slide, sliding sheets, made referrals to specialist when required depending on the given situation,
• Transfer patients to ward, fill in the transfer form, and request orderly for transferring using WDHB smart page, IDC drained and recorded it using fluid balance chart.

Waitemata DHB Mental Health Placement, Mason Regional Forensic Psychiatry Services, 4 Weeks, 

• Able to work alongside nurses and multidisciplinary team to carry out patients formulated plan,
• Actively participated in patients group activities organized by occupational therapists,
• Learn how to conduct comprehensive mental assessment including gathering information of patient's history, symptoms, behaviour and risk factors, maintain accurate documentation after Mental State Examination (MSE) and risks assessment where it identifies and assesses risks related to self-harm, suicide, harm to others and developing safety plans in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team.,
• Established rapport with clients and participated in ground walks as planned by nurses for patients who had granted ground walk leave.,
• Facilitate referrals and admissions and collaborated with multidisciplinary teams including nurses, psychiatrists, social workers and occupational therapists., Monitored prescribed antipsychotic medications to assess medication effectiveness and side effects.,
• Developed effective communication skills to build trust and rapport with patients who may experience distress, paranoia or disorientation, learn to be an active listener when patients allow themselves to express their thoughts and feelings without judgement.
• The FONO Pasifika Healthcare,
• Opportunity to learn how to deliver care that respects cultural practices such as use of traditional medicine, communal decision making and the significance of extended family in health-related decisions.,
• Navigating language barriers and understanding the importance of nonverbal communication as well as learning basic phrases in the local language or working effectively with interpreters., Triage patients and made referrals depending on patient's case presentations,
• Work closely with nurses to remember or book patients' appointments, remind them about prescriptions and the nearest place for pickup.,
• Participate in community initiatives such as health education sessions, community visits, health screening such as bowel and breast screening. Participate in health workshops and programs run by the Fono such as smoking cessation and alcohol awareness programs which are key to addressing the high prevalence of NCDs in pacific communities.
• Provide cultural appropriate dietary advice and promoting physical activity within the context of traditional foods and lifestyles, educate patients about the importance of regular checkups, medication adherence and lifestyle changes to manage chronic conditions effectively
• ETU Pasifika Healthcare.
• Ability to adapt to the workload, gained confident to communicate patients with the same nationality using own language, as some older patients has limited English.
• Assisted patients with wound dressings, checked vital signs, performed nasal and throat swaps, observed smear test done by RNs, babies' immunization and administering vaccines to various age groups, educate patients on vaccines schedules and managed community vaccination programs.
• Gained experience in triaging patients, history taking and interpretation of diagnostic tests like ECGs, urinalysis, applying dressings and Tubi grips,
• Work in partnership with staff members and whanau to educate patients about their diet lifestyle and ensure they receive the best care/support to achieve goals and needs.