We’re pleased to welcome Suraiya Kazi to the HCML team. With 25 years’ nursing experience working with children in acute and community settings, Suraiya joins us a Specialist Rehabilitation Case Manager in HCML’s Children & Young People’s Services team.
Here, Suraiya tells us a bit more about her clinical experience.
Why the change from nursing to case management?
I’m ready for a new challenge – ready to support young people and children as I always have done, but in a different way. I have 25 years’ experience supporting children, young people and adults in complex community and acute settings, so I have a lot of compassion for children throughout their whole journey and understand how traumatic it is to have that experience. With case management it’s important to understand that bigger picture to ensure you are doing the right thing for the child.
I like working with children and young people and I wanted to move into a role where I could continue doing what I know and keep being passionate about something I love. It feels like it is my dream job.
What are some of the common challenges you found being a paediatric nurse, and how did you manage these?
Recognising that people are not themselves in stressful situations. That maybe the situation has impacted on the way they would normally communicate and behave. It’s important to make people feel safe and show compassion. It’s that human thing – if I can make a child feel safe and their parents feel safe, it’s likely that they will feel more relaxed, and they see each other’s behaviours and communication are more positive which improves things further. Communicating is easier after that.
I also always make sure the person knows that there is a choice; I never tell them they have to do something. If they’re refusing care, I give them their power back, letting them know they have a choice, but explaining the likely outcomes of each choice and how their decision might impact them. It’s my job to give that level of respect and communicate the options in a way that they understand whether it be a 15 year old or a 5 year old. You need to give that time to the parent as well and acknowledge that they may be scared and angry about all the things that have happened and about making decisions under difficult circumstances.
I have real insight and understanding of the hospital experience; how invasive it can be and how many different people children encounter and what they have to go through. Having patience and understanding for people going through something horrific that they didn’t ask for is vital.
You have a lot of experience working across multidisciplinary teams (MDT) – how did you work with the different people on the team? How is it similar to case management?
I would carry out patient assessments, work with the MDT to understand where the patients were in their care, identify who was involved in their recovery and who needed to be involved. When working with the team, I would recognise if things were missed and was able to challenge decisions – especially with pain management – to ensure the patient was getting the right care. It’s similar to case management not only in practical terms such as carrying out assessment and working in a wider team, but also in the way that you need a holistic view of the patient to understand what they need and to advocate for them when necessary.
As a team leader for the Children’s Community Complex Care Team, I would conduct assessments, review packages of care and equipment and train carers to ensure the child has the correct support in place to return home. It’s very similar to the way that a case manager would work with a range of people to put the best rehabilitation programme and package of support together, and also that continued care, where I’d go back and review how everything was going. I’d check in with the parents to see if they were coping, how the carer was working with the family and whether they were the right fit.
A lot of it was about managing relationships, understanding the different personalities and the best fit for rehab clients and their families. I’d work with them to change the plan if needed, and there is a lot of that in the community setting which is why it’s important to really review what is working and what isn’t.
Leading a team means you have to be prepared to highlight when things haven’t been done and have open and honest conversations with people. Again, you have to be confident advocating for the child.
How do you build up a relationship with the children you support?
I really get to know who they are, what they like, what’s important to them, their fears, their expectations, their personality because they are a person – they’re not the incident or the illness. I also like to establish what their expectation is of me.
Understanding the kind of language that I need to use with them to relate to them – whether they’re a young child or a teenager is important and giving them time and the reassurance to know it’s ok to say anything to me.
Above all, just being human, kind and compassionate, and having a sense of humour. I love working with teenagers, I get their sense of humour and I don’t take anything personally; humour has got me through so many difficult situations. Getting through to teenagers is about asking, negotiating and respecting – they’re not a child, but not an adult yet either.
The thing to understand about children is that they really see you – you can’t fool them! Being open and honest with them is the quickest way to a healthy relationship with them.
What are the three top qualities you think a case manager should have?
Kindness, patience and excellent communication which most importantly includes listening.
What attracted you to HCML?
I wanted to be part of a company that loves and values their people. HCML sees and values all my experience and I’m very excited to become part of the team.
Being around people, feeling valued and feeling good about where you work is so important. I read about what they do to look after employees and seeing the ways in which they actually care about specific issues was important to me. People like Sam (Hadley) and Shonagh (Pearson) are role models, both intelligent and kind. There are so many things that I can still learn, but HCML understood that I have worked for a long time, have a lot of experience and made me feel I had something special to contribute. HCML recognises when you choose to be exceptional. It motivates me – I want to be happy at work and I think I can be here.
You will, no doubt, have experienced some difficult situations as a paediatric nurse, what do you do inside or outside of work to remain resilient?
I allow myself to feel those emotions and acknowledge how I feel. I have a great network who can understand situations and how I feel – they’re my tribe! These are the people that speak my language. I’m a very open person and I like to talk! I’m mindful and embrace anything to do with mindfulness. I also meditate and enjoy retreats. Being positive in my thoughts, surrounding myself with good people – it all helps!