Would you make a good carer? Fancy a Quiz?

16 posts / 0 new

Thu, 2012-11-08 11:53

I've compiled a set of questions to use when interviewing. They are all either common sense or do unto others questions. I thought some of you might fancy having a go at them.

And while the funny answers will be good... if anybody did have a serious go, it'd be really helpful to me in knowing if I've set the level correctly. I'm going to be interviewing many people who have never worked in the care field before as well as old hands. And I want them to be hard enough to make people think about their answers but not too daunting either.

Have fun.

Interview Questions.

1: I am a ten year old Tetraplegic. How would you greet me for the first time?

2: I am an eighty year old man. I have had a stroke and am paralysed down my right side. My favourite pastime is doing intricate jigsaws. You are scheduled to bath me and I need my genitals washing. How do you go about it?

3: You have just spent an hour and five minutes with a very demanding client. You are already five minutes late for your next call. You are just about to walk out of the door when Betty calls you back. She has tears in her eyes and complains of a massive headache. She begs you to nip to the shop to get her some Asprin. The dilemma is that you are already late for Elsie who is stuck in bed until you can get to her. The relevant point is that the shop is literally next door. With your help,Betty could be feeling better in half an hour. Betty is mobile and perfectly capable of going herself. But she’d have to change into her outdoor clothes. By the time she’s got her slippers off, you could be there and back. It’ll only take you a minute. But, with every second that you stay above your allotted hour, you are robbing Elsie of time. What do you do?

4: You go to a call and find Mabel on the floor. She’s unhurt but cold and you need to warm her quickly. She is conscious and tells you that she’s perfectly able to walk. Her bed is only a few feet from where she’s fallen and you have the aid of her walker and or a hoist. What do you do?

5: It is Christmas and you are such a good carer that as you’re leaving Tommy stuffs a twenty pound note in your hand and insists that you take it. He very much wants you to have it and you will upset him if you refuse. He’s an old man and you want to make him happy. What do you do?

6: You have been shopping for Ted. On his list he has prunes, bread, milk, ready meals, fruit juice, biscuits that he can keep beside him for a snack in between carers, a newspaper and some bed socks because you’ve noticed that his circulation is poor and his feet are freezing. But he hasn’t given you enough money for every item. One item is more important than anything else. What is the most important thing to bring back?

7: Millie lives on home delivery ready meals. You like to keep her diet as varied and as interesting as possible so that she doesn’t get bored. Two weeks ago you gave her a fish pie and she loved it. She hasn’t had it since, so you opt for that and banana custard for dessert. You take her food in and she tells you that she hates fish. You haven’t got time to cook another meal as your next call is due. She still has her pudding and she has bread so you could make her some toast and leave her the cake tin beside her. What do you do?

8: You have spent half an hour getting Sally, up, bathed and dressed. You recommended that the pink cardigan would go better with her outfit but Sally chose the blue one. You are on your way out of the door when she calls you back and tells you that she’s changed her mind about the cardigan. You are already ten minutes late for your next call and poor Elsie, who you always seem to go to late, is still lying in bed. What do you do?

9: You go to Arthur. It is your job to get him up, bathed and dressed. Arthur says that he doesn’t want to get up. He wants a lie in. He’s never done this before but he has to get up, if he opts to stay in bed he’s going to be stuck there until his next call at lunch time. How do you persuade him to get up?

10: It’s winter. Jerry’s flat is like a fridge. He is a twenty-eight year old MS suffer and he is very stubborn. His hands are ice cold and his feet are blue. You want to set his central heating for him but he won’t allow you to touch it because he says he can’t afford the bill. He is putting himself in serious danger by sitting in a room with no heating at all. What do you do?

Thu, 2012-11-08 13:20

lenchenelf

The situational based Q's are interesting and thoughtful, but do highlight the problem in recruitment of carer's lacking specific and adequate experience of the very varied needs of disabled and elderly clients. This would also need to be addressed by ongoing training and support. Time management would be an issue for the agency, to realistically deploy staff appropriately with adequate leeway for transition between client base. Clients are not odd jobs, like doing the back garden :-) When I recruit on a personal level, it is with a specific skill set and personality in mind and give clear brief. all the very best lena x

Thu, 2012-11-08 13:34

ItsSteveDave

Wow, these are extremely daunting to me Sooz, but I'm not a carer. I've given it a go though! (How I would do it - I have no idea of the actual protocol). 1. 'Hello, I must say first that I have never met a Tetraplegic before, it's great to meet you.' (That one's really difficult). 2. I'm afraid I can only hazard at - 'I need to wash your bits, are you ok with that?'. 3. Go to the shop for Betty, but also buy something for Elsie, so when you get to her, you can let her know that you were late because you were buying her a magazine/diabetic chocolate/something you can do together. 4. That one seems like it involves health and safety, but maybe help/hoist her up and set her on her way? Maybe put a blanket around her to get some warmth built up first. 5. Accept the gift, but use the £20 to buy something for you both to enjoy on your next visit, that way you are showing your gratitude and also thinking about what would make him happy. 6. Bed socks - although not a 'fun' item, he will benefit more in the long run for them. 7. That's hard, but I'd probably have to do the toast, and I'd feel guilty about it. 8. Poor Elsie, but I'd have to change the cardigan. 9. Maybe try to persuade him to get up and go to his comfy chair in the loungs so he's got more to do until the next call, suggest the things he can do - TV, crossword, puzzle, etc. Can you leave him unbathed for the moment or would that throw everything out? 10. All I can think of is give him gloves/hat/blanket. Can you force him to have his heating on citing health reasons, can he make some sort of claim for subsidised heating (or you on his behalf)? Sooz, this is a great excercise and serves to show how difficult it is to be a carer. If this is the sort of thing you have to deal with daily, I admire your conviction and humility even more.

Thu, 2012-11-08 13:51

Sooz006

Thanks Lena. All of our clients are sent on a training course and are then given ongoing training before being let loose on the public. Hence the reason that we can take on first time carers as well as experienced staff. When I interview, I'll be looking at the person's personality and ability and questions on a piece of paper will be irrelevant because full training will be given, but I thought they would be a good introduction to the interview and they do give an insight into how much the applicant knows about policies and procedures. I'd be looking to introduce them as a bit of fun rather than in a strict exam context. The answers they give would be a good starting point to take the interview forward. Thanks you.

Thu, 2012-11-08 13:58

Sooz006

Aw, Steve thanks for having a go. Some of your answers are lovely. Especially 3 and 5. I'm going to leave them for a day or so to see if anybody else wants to have a go and then I'll give my responses to the questions.

Thu, 2012-11-08 16:12

jolono

Okay. 1. Hello how you doing... normal, cos he aint stupid. 2. Just wash his bollocks. 3. Go see Elsie. 4. Call 999, just in case. 5. Take the score then buy him something with it. 6.Biscuits. 7.Convince her she likes fish. 8. Tell her she looks great in blue. 9. Ask him why? get to the root of the problem. 10. Call social services, then call an ambulance. Just a thought...

Thu, 2012-11-08 16:17

Sooz006

Some good answers there J. Thanks for having a shot.

Thu, 2012-11-08 17:07

Highhat

1. Hallo how are you doing, I'm ... 2. get him to wash them with his other hand, less embarrassing for him 3. go see Elsie after buying aspirin for Betty 4.call 999- you are not sure she is unhurt- only a doctor can tell. Don't try to move her. 5. Accept the gift saying that the Agency does not allow for it 6. bedsocks 7. make her some toast- she'll manage until next day 8.tell her the blue is fine and that you have to go 9. Arthur needs something to get up to- he has to be lured 10. The problem is deeper than such and needs to be looked into. A good talk to begin with and the need to reassure him that he can afford heating. They were difficult Sooz- I'd never make a good carer again. Are these answers acceptable?

Thu, 2012-11-08 18:01

Sooz006

Some great answers Pia.

Thu, 2012-11-08 18:28

#10

lavadis

1. I would have to establish what his level of functioning was and his interests and speak to him on a level that will be most likely to engage him but keeping it chatty - so hello, it is really good to meet you - this is my role and why I am here, I hear you are interested in... 2.Try to keep the mood light and to engage a little in advance of this by doing a bit of a puzzle, make it normal, as light hearted as possible and try not to de humanise. 3. It depends whether assisting B in this way and pandering to her needs is really helping her - does she really have a headache or is this just more attention she needs. If I leave right away will it encourage her to be more independent? I would probably leave her and go to see E if I was certain this was not a serious problem but perhaps return to her after E. 4. I may not be qualified to ascertain what her injuries are. I certainly would not want to move her. I would make her comfortable and ascertain whether we needed an ambulance. 5. Refuse and explain to him why in a way which will not upset him. 6. Yes I agree bed socks 7. Try to establish what has changed since she loved the fish pie, heat that up and give her the other option of toast at the same time. 8. Reassure her and flatter her but leave. 9. Find something that he loves that will encourage him to get up, perhaps see if you can get a close relative on the phone to enthuse him but try not to leave him. Make life worth living 10. Go through the bill with him and show him that he can afford this - help him budget and ensure he is getting all the benefits he is entitled to

Thu, 2012-11-08 18:30

#11

lavadis

I have to engage with children I have never met before but this was interesting

Thu, 2012-11-08 18:34

#12

Sooz006

Again Lavadis some cracking answers.

Thu, 2012-11-08 23:27

#13

thanksforthepar...

These are great questions...but tough! Are you planning to ask all of them? I've been asked similar in interviews for care work, but you seem to have put a lot of care and thought into the scenarios, they're like little short stories in themselves, and remind us that we're talking about actual people. Ah, I guess I'd better not leave without answering them, so here goes: 1. warmly and with eye contact 2. I would try to encourage him to do as much as possible for himself, and other than that not a big deal out of it. Ask permission before doing something. Suggest a jigsaw session before/after? (that's if Elsie isn't waiting) 3. It would probably tear me up, but because she is perfectly able to do it herself and she tends to be demanding, I'd try stop myself 'rescuing' her. I think it could be disempowering which the long run wouldn't benefit her. Then I'd probably have a quick cry on my way to Elsie. 4. Blanket and ambulance? 5. I would explain it's not really allowed, but accept it. Make a written record of it and then go down the pu...no I mean, then put it towards something useful we could both do together (ok I nicked that answer from above, but it's such a good answer). 6. Could I pay for the extra item and sort it out later? otherwise, it's newspaper, biscuits or socks...I really don't know. 7. Have a chat about fish and see if she remembers liking it before, ask her tell me a story about her favourite meals, or something to turn the conversation around so she can at least try it. 8. If I'm ten minutes late but have been doing my job properly then there may be a problem with the agency I work for and their expectations...if I can't change a cardigan for someone...it seems a bit too stressy. 9. Have a chat about the day ahead, to motivate him. Maybe his careplan needs to be adjusted if he wants to get up later? 10. Get him as warm as possible and look into the reason why he feels he can't afford heating. Have a chat and a nice hot cup of tea. Maybe he needs the support of a benefit advisor or advocate? Maybe he would be persuaded by somebody who has come especially to see him regarding the heating, because that would show him that he's being listened to and his concerns are being taken seriously. Probably need to refer this at the time because it's a health hazard, but I would struggle to make him do something he refused to do. Wow that wasn't so bad afterall, it's much more fun answering these questions on here than when you're sat there with a dry mouth and your mind keeps going blank and you keep forgetting the question! :) Hope your interviewing goes well and you get some brilliant carers.

Fri, 2012-11-09 00:15

#14

Sooz006

I love the way that these questions have made you all think about the answers and of course there's no real right or wrong to most of them, however some are strictly regulated and have a definite procedure. Some of you have answered most of them exactly as I would have done. But there's still a couple that nobody has got yet. I really appreciate you having a go. And it's shown me that they will make people think and whether the applicants have all the answers or not it gives them an idea of what they'll be facing. I'll post my own replies to the questions in a while. thanks all.

Fri, 2012-11-09 00:51

#15

Sooz006

These would be my answers. I: It doesn’t matter so much what you say as long as you get down to his level. You’re dealing with a child; don’t tower over him, get down so that your face is level with theirs. It’s different when dealing with an adult, squatting beside their chair would be condescending, but it’d be good to sit as soon as you can, nobody likes being loomed over. It’s the one situation where if I wasn’t asked to sit within a minute or so I’d say, ‘Do you mind if I sit down?’ 2: The general rule is, if they can reach to play with it, they can reach to wash it. He can pick up tiny jigsaw pieces so soap a sponge or flannel and hand it to him. This covers both sexes and all body parts. If they can do it themselves you never do it for them. 3: This was all waffle meant to distract. Only one word is important…Asprin. You never buy drugs for a client. Drugs, alcohol, cigarettes or flammable canisters, not even something as innocuous as a bottle of cough medicine. 4: Mabel isn’t a doctor, and even if she was she’s long retired and not in a fit state to treat herself. You never attempt to lift a fallen person. Cover with blankets and ring an ambulance. You stay with the client until the ambulance turns up, regardless whether its five minutes or three hours, if you can’t stay you arrange somebody else to relive you. After ringing for an ambulance, you ring it in to the office. You could put Mabel back to bed and she might be dead an hour later. 5: You never accept gifts from clients. It compromises you as a carer. You take the money and when Tommy’s daughter comes to visit she asks where his pension’s gone. He can’t remember and you’re right up the swanee. A good agency won’t allow you to accept gifts at all. If you work for an agency that does allow, then you must cover yourself each and every time by ringing it in the second you leave the house so that you’ve covered yourself. It’s part of your job to be tactful and diplomatic and finding a way to refuse the money without insulting the client. I would also ring in an offer of a gift even if it’s refused. 6: This one was another red herring: the only item that you must bring back every time is the receipt. No matter how small the transaction always make a record of money given, if possible get the client to sign the money out and change in, and always return with a receipt. 7: This situation would never happen because Millie’s a human being not a dog. So of course, you’d ask her what she wants for her meal. Her choice, not yours. The only time you take away a client’s right to choice is if they are incapable of making it themselves. 8: How long does it take to run back upstairs and get the cardigan? You’re already late for your next call another two minutes isn’t going to make a difference. I wouldn’t like to have to sit in something all day that I wasn’t happy with; I’d change the cardigan for her. 9: Why the hell should Arthur be forced to get up if he fancies a lie in? He’s a man, he can make his own decisions…. You explain the situation to him and leave him to lie in. However, he’s never done this before. Anything that is out of the ordinary is cause for concern and could be the start of an illness. You mark it on the report… but you also ring it in. 10: Jerry has every right to govern his own budget. If he tells you to leave his heating alone, you respect his wishes and leave it alone. You’re a guest in his home. However, you have a duty of care, so you excuse yourself and ring it into the office. If he’s putting his health at risk, the manager will contact his social worker (if he has one) a family member, or will make a home visit to sort the matter out with him and discuss his needs.

Fri, 2012-11-09 10:36

#16

Sooz006

Yes, things are still in a poor state Stan, but the government has pulled its socks up and gone a long way in tightening up the intake procedure. I'm still waiting for a start date because they are so thorough in their checks ... which I'm glad about, they need to be. But of course I'm terrified that they're going to rake up some long forgotten speeding fine or something that's going to shoot me in the foot I know I have nothing to worry about. I had the same checks done two years ago and sailed through, but it's still nerve wracking while I'm waiting to hear. I'm going to be in exactly the right position to make a difference. As a Nurse I was one person trying to do a good job in a really shoddy company. As one of the four managers I am directly responsible for hiring the staff and making sure that we do get good, compassionate, capable people. I feel as though I can really make a difference and my little Pollyanna bubbles will probably burst within a week of starting when I find out what kind of staff I've already got.