Meet Rob

At Rocky Bay, our Continence Clinics provide a space to encourage open and honest discussions about our customers’ continence concerns. Rob Dyke is our Paediatric Continence Nurse and heads up this important service, which gives independence and control to our customers. We chatted to Rob about his role, his motivation for working in the sector and real-life stories of how the service has impacted lives.

Can you tell us about your role and what a typical day looks like for you?

I normally start my day looking at forthcoming appointments and mapping out my clinic. This can involve travelling to one of the various Rocky Bay hubs I visit. I then see on average 4-5 customers per day depending on whether it’s a follow-up clinic visit or a new customer. In the middle of the clinics, I will often answer emails or follow up phone calls to check progress updates.

What inspired you to work in the disability sector space?

I initially had a student nursing placement in a children’s hospice in the UK and was inspired by the positive ‘can do anything attitude’ relayed by the parents. The hospice provided respite facilities for the whole family which gave a great insight into the impact disabilities have on the whole family and how most obstacles were overcome. 

What do you love most about your job and the impact you make?

We provide a unique service and are only one of two organisations in the state that offer continence services to children living with a disability.

I enjoy meeting new families and discussing the impact continence has on the whole family dynamic. Something simple like the cost of nappies and consumables can take a huge chunk of funding that could be spent on more resourceful interventions. Also planning trips out of the house just to go shopping or the local park, and the parents are worried about what happens if their child has a ‘toileting accident.’ Or the inability for children to have a sleepover due to their nighttime wetting or bringing pull-ups to a friend’s house.

By working with the family and developing a holistic toileting plan based around the child’s needs and goals set, we commence on a journey that changes attitudes and behaviours and facilitates new skills. This provides the child with abilities to understand their bodies, overcome hurdles relating to toileting and lead to independent toileting behaviours.

Can you share a memorable story of how our services have made a difference in our customers’ lives?

I was introduced to a 15yr old boy diagnosed with Trisomy 21 who was incontinent of both bowels and bladder and was wearing pull ups all of his life. He was living in supported accommodation and had a team of support workers assisting him with his daily life.

After meeting the young man and working with his support team, we developed a timed toileting plan to tackle daytime continence issues. Over the following weeks he was toileted at regular intervals throughout the day.  He then started prompting himself and following his body cues.

Within 3 months he was fully continent during the day and out of his continence products and self-prompting to the toilet on his own. This had a huge positive impact on his daily routines both at home and at school, and gave him a sense of control and independence.

How do you and your team work together to support customers?

I work closely with customer engagement who inform me of any new customers at intake. I then await the funding checks and Clinical Operations Manager (COM) approval and contact the customer personally to book in an initial assessment. The customer support team then assists with follow-up bookings and answer any queries relating to cancellations or changing appointments. (We now offer a phone consult for those customers who are unable to attend their appointments on the day. This has significantly reduced the number of no-shows or customer cancellations and aids in the continuity of the support provided.)

Working with the Occupational Therapists, Dietetics, Physiotherapist, Speech Pathologist team assists with providing a comprehensive continence service to meet all of the customers’ needs.

What’s a common misconception about your role or continence nursing?

That I get covered in poop most days!! I am also called the poo nurse or poo doctor by customers! (I don’t get covered in poo!)

What motivates you in your role?

Changing lives and providing information about the simplest thing that impacts everyday life.

Continence is often understated and overlooked with children with disabilities but has a tremendous impact on activities of daily living. I thoroughly enjoy sharing a journey with the family facilitating and empowering the family with knowledge and information that can lead to the attainment of new skills that lead to independence in toileting.

What are three things you love to do outside your role?

I love socialising with friends

Attending 80/90s band revivals (recently seen the Venga boys!)

Drinking Guinness!

Learn more about Rocky Bay’s Children Continence Clinics here: https://www.rockybay.org.au/services/health-wellness/children-continence-clinics/