The recruiting process at HFN Nursing Agency

Clients often ask how they can be sure that we are placing the correct carer with their parents and loved ones.

As much as we rely on the carer's qualification, experience and good references, we have to go by how we experience that carer ourselves. Would we place that carer to care for our own loved ones? 

We start evaluating the carer from the moment we get in touch. Carers apply on our website and supply a summary of their CV. 

When we phone to invite them for an interview we take note of how they answer their phones and how they respond to the invitation. Their honesty is appreciated when they say they can't make it. We can interview them the next time. 

We like to see them in uniform and take note of their neat, safe and professional appearance. This is expected throughout their employment and our Registered Nurse takes note of professional appearance on every patient visit. 

The schools where they do their home-based care course varies and it is not accurate to say that they went to a good school or bad school. They must be accredited, sure, but the courses are very short and powerful and it is more accurate to look at their years’ experience.

Where they get their experience is looked at as follows: their first years must be spent at a frail care or hospital. This is where they learn from their superiors and other health care professionals. For instance, how to see signs and symptoms of a declining condition. How to measure blood pressure, glucose, fluid intake and output, etc. and basic wound care and observance of a wound's healing. How to mobilize a patient after surgery and basic physical exercises are fundamental practices.  

They pay lots of money, often borrowed from family, for their short course but their first few years working they are paid to continue the learning process.

These years are vital to shape their passion and knowledge. 

Thereafter we look at their experience in a home based environment because here they don’t have the Sr looking over their shoulder and giving instructions. They become independent decision makers in their roles as carers to their patients. The home doesn't have a clinic room or a sluice room. They have to create these in the home space and consider the rest of the family at the same time. It is tricky. 

These are the families we get in touch with as referees. Therefore, we take on carers with above 3 years’ experience. 

Their other life experiences are vital as well. This helps in the process of placing the right carer with a client. We mostly get this right but not all carers are available at the time we need them or their traveling distance is too great. For instance, carer Yvonne is a qualified beautician. She was unavailable when we were told that a wheelchair-bound lady spends many hours doing her makeup in the morning and wanted a carer who would be considerate of this. We had to find our second-best carer.

We also have ladies that have good knowledge of diets and can cook healthy meals. Some have administrative skills, some have driver's licence. Some have done extra courses in childminding, level 1 to 3 first aid, counselling skills, etc.

As much as we empower these ladies to be independent contractors we have some very special male carers as well.

Unskilled workers? We think not. These are the "daughters" and "sons" taking care of your parents and loved ones. They are precious to us as we know how they become an integral part of your family. 

In the interview process we look for passion, skill, compassion, and diligence. 

We appreciate your trust in us to find the right carer for you. We also require your feedback during and after service. We reward them accordingly. Our Sisters give instructions on the care plan and routine and will give onsite training to any special needs. 

We find it hard to place a carer when they have disappointed us or our clients and that is how the process of elimination works. Right now, we have a delightful bunch of carers on our database that we can vouch for and have good references.

Let us know your requirements and we will place the best carer for you.