Care and Support Worker, Maureen Smullen, shares her experiences of undergoing epilepsy awareness training with Epilepsy Scotland.
What made you choose to train with Epilepsy Scotland?
As a Care and Support Worker with Edinburgh Council, my employer chooses the organisation, that provides our training.
What type of training courses have you completed?
Having been with The City of Edinburgh Council for several years now I have completed lots of training.
Many are compulsory and some that are to increase specific areas of competency and knowledge. Both can include Tutor lead training and E Learning.
The mandatory training Involves courses such as Manual Handling, Fire Safety, First Aid, Epilepsy, Data Protection etc and the additional ones have centred around what would be useful with the individuals I work with.
For example, Autism awareness, Dementia, Challenging Behaviour and Active Support.
There are many more but are general ones that most organisations will require their employees to complete during their induction and as refreshers.
What difference has the training made to your confidence in supporting people with epilepsy?
Completing the training is always a confidence booster.
I feel it is important to go over the knowledge I already have and remind myself of what epilepsy is.
Also, how it presents in the individuals I work with and how best I can support them.
Furthermore, as I am not required to administer Rescue Medication often, it is useful to refresh and practise the procedure.
Did you find being assessed stressful?
If I’m honest training is always stressful and being assessed to confirm competency for a procedure and knowledge that I need to support the individuals I work with, does make me anxious.
However, Zoey our trainer, excelled in reassuring myself and my fellow students that we absolutely would gain the knowledge and skills required to not only pass the course but to go forward and provide support confidently when necessary.
Would you consider this course essential to your role?
Absolutely. I support several individuals with complex epilepsy, and to be able to lone work is a large part of my job.
To do so without the fear of not being able to administer rescue medication if required, is essential.
What is the most interesting thing you learnt on the course?
That there is constantly new information coming to light about epilepsy. Also, how we can provide support that is effective and respectful.
How did you find the trainers and was the content easy to understand?
Zoey our trainer was excellent. She had the right balance of being able to describe the course content in a way that was understandable and inject the session with some humour, which in my opinion makes learning easier.
What would you say to someone who was thinking of doing the course?
If you are looking to learn about epilepsy and how to administer rescue medication, I would definitely recommend this course.
The course content and training are both concise and relevant to the individuals supported in the care field.
For more information about the training Epilepsy Scotland provides, please contact our Office Manager, Jacqui Telfer on 0131 659 4730 or email jtelfer@epilepsyscotland.org.uk.