#AHPsDay: Neurology and home enteral feeding in the community
We thank Maggie for taking the time to write this blog - the third in a series of six to mark this year's #AHPsDay - and for helping to shine a light on the varied roles and responsibilities of our talented #AHPCommunity colleagues.
Neurology and home enteral feeding in the community written by Maggie (pictured below), specialist surgical dietitian
Hi, I am Magdalena or Maggie and I have been in this role since January 2023 and cover the Enfield area.
I started my dietetic career in 2019 as a dietetic assistant at Mount Vernon Hospital H&N Oncology Department. After I qualified in 2020, my first dietetic job was at Lister Hospital in Stevenage - it was very intense as I was covering 13 acute wards and I had a weekly out-patient Mental Health Clinic.
Despite the huge pressure, I am very grateful for that experience. I learnt a lot and cared for and treated patients with complex needs and varied medical conditions and nutritional requirements.
In 2022, I joined North Middlesex as a Band 6 Specialist Surgical Dietitian and, after a year, I joined Enfield Community Services (ECS).
My role is split between Primary Care Neurology and Home Enteral Feeding and I provide support to patients and their families or carers who are no longer able to meet their nutritional and fluid requirements orally.
I see patients with a variety of conditions or a combination such as:
- Neurological – eg MND, MS and Huntington’s Disease
- Oncological
- Endocrine
- Gastrointestinal
- Learning Disabilities
- Muscular skeletal deformities
I liaise with patients and families, all acute and community service providers, district nurses, GPs and pharmacists, nutrition feed companies, wheelchair support services, Enfield Carers, Neuro Response Service, MND and Huntington’s Disease Associations and other charities. I make sure families know about services and that they have a clear understanding of their condition – all this helps empower them in their treatment and set realistic goals.
Transition from acute to community – ‘the right place, the right time, and the right skills’
The technical and clinical skills and knowledge I gained in hospital settings really help me in the community. We need to consider safety – the patient’s and ours – and clear communication and sensitivity that can help us handle difficult situations, such as if some families find it difficult to have someone in their home taking care of a loved one. You also need to be flexible to suit the needs of the patients and their families.
Working in the community can be isolating and overwhelming, especially if patients and their families see us as a saviour and a friend that they can turn to at any time rather than a health professional doing a job. However, having good clinical knowledge and self-regulation help, as does having team members to consult.
If appropriate actions in the community are in place, many hospital admissions can be avoided. In the community I can give my patients the highest quality of care and it is helpful that I have a clear understanding of the acute Trust policies and procedures and I know what to expect when it comes to admitting or discharging. However, I appreciate being part of the acute dietetic team and sharing patients’ care.