L

I became an RN in 1981 and have worked as a nurse in both Israel and the U.S. Part of my experience came from a wartime facility where many of the wounded soldiers were shell-shocked (today they’d be diagnosed with PTSD), whereas another was at a hospital’s child-abuse ward. It’s been many years, until recently, since I’ve practiced nursing as I chose a different path culminating in my doctoral dissertation focusing on trauma’s emotional, communal, linguistic and historical aspects. After a long beak of over twenty years, I’d returned last year to a similar line of work as a carer. The advantage of working as a caretaker over a nurse at a hospital, is that I’m able to address not only the physical aspects of my clients’ difficulties but can also pay attention to their emotional and social challenges as well. I think I’m suitable for this role as I’m deeply empathetic but at the same time resourceful and a problem solver; in other words, I won’t simply get carried away with my emotions but also try different approaches to alleviate stress. Maybe because of my past experience, I am able to deal with complex situations and maintain a non-judgemental approach. I am a good listener and have a great deal of experience dealing with people with emotional dis-regulation. My passions are people and animals, especially dogs - I find them all so fascinating. I like to read fiction and non-fiction, mostly to do with education, psychology, and nutrition; I love travelling and exploring other cultures, and absolutely love trying out new foods and recipes. I love sewing and knitting, although I don’t have much time for those. My skills: I’m extremely detail-oriented, able to prioritise important tasks; I’m good at managing my time and am efficient; I am a strong communicator although I am a bit shy which can be misinterpreted as hesitant; I’m a good listener and team-worker (I grew up on an Israeli kibbutz where most roles requires collaboration with others); I am a strong critical thinker (thanks to twelve years of tertiary education) but at the same time creative and not rigid in my thinking.