“At the beginning of the pandemic the greatest challenge was convincing elder beneficiaries that COVID-19 was a real danger and not an invented one.”
Inga Chikadze is a Home Care Nurse at the Georgia Red Cross Society. She has been working with socially vulnerable beneficiaries with chronic illnesses for more than 8 years. She helps them overcome their daily difficulties and is actively involved in managing their diseases. Inga tries to be the most supportive and reliable person for them.
The greatest challenge she faced at the beginning of the pandemic was convincing older beneficiaries that COVID-19 is a real danger not an invented one. It was really hard persuading them to avoid interacting with people, which had been their only joy and relief before. They just could not accept this new reality with strict social distancing, face masks, and isolations. But Inga tried her best to be thoroughly persuasive and she succeeded.
She believes that the success in her career is based on her own constant professional self-development. As a health worker she performs complex medical activities and procedures in the field on a daily basis. Therefore, she considers that she has a big responsibility in her job and it requires to be well-trained. Of course, the Red Cross provides regular professional training and coaching to home care nurses, but Inga herself constantly strives to explore the latest and updated methods of disease management. She regularly reads international guidelines and recommendations in the field of home care standards. This gives her confidence as a professional and happiness as an activist.
My Advice to Colleagues
Remember, empathy is necessary – you have to enter into the situation of the beneficiary. Simply imagine yourself in her/his place and think about what would actually help you in such a situation.
However, as soon as the visit is over, you should leave all sentiments there and go to the next beneficiary completely free from the emotions of the previous visit. Otherwise, you will be easily exhausted.
You also have to constantly take care of self-development. You need to be well-prepared to care for beneficiaries and give them the right advice – something that will really help and alleviate their situation. Otherwise, you will find it difficult to earn their trust and respect.
