15 Things Home Care Nurses Can Relate To
Being a home care nurse means being present for surprises, accomplishments and a lot of fun – what else would you add to the list?
- Working in home care is completely different than you thought it would be – yes, entering someone else’s home seemed weird at first, but it’s second nature to you now.
- You know all the words to Grease Lightning because you’re a master of figuring out tricks to make your patients’ lives less stressful.
- It never gets old to witness a child reaching an amazing milestone after months of working on a skill. Seeing a patient sit up on her own after months of physical therapy, or they use a few signs after weeks of repeated teaching are incredibly rewarding moments.
- Who needs a gym? You have major muscles from carrying all the bags and equipment that can be hung on you when you go anywhere.
- Staying creative and flexible are musts to do this job well – these kiddos are living their lives outside of the hospital, which keeps you on your toes.
- Observing the looks of amazement that friends of a patient family have when they see how far a kiddo has come since the months they last saw him makes all the work you’ve done worth it.
- Working in someone’s home means there’s a good chance you’re going to need to ask for things like a plunger.
- Sometimes communication needs to be creative – language difference, hearing issues, or other barriers to understanding can keep you on your toes.
- You get to spend your shift focusing on one kiddo, which means leaving at the end of the day knowing you gave it your all for this child.
- You will be humbled by the strength the families you care for have, and the situations they’ve been through
- The amazing feeling of knowing that these families trust you to take care of their child
- Nursing school didn’t prepare you for where you would need to provide cares – medications in Target, setting up tube feeding at the Xcel Center… you know how to find a clean corner!
- Going for walks with loads of equipment is an everyday occurrence. These families don’t let their child’s medical needs slow them down.
- One of the greatest benefits to working in home care? The relationships you develop with a patient and their family are unlike anything you would find in other healthcare realms.
- There is no harder, or more rewarding, job than being a home care nurse!