Nursing Home Care in Philadelphia and Extended Families
Posted by PHC | Uncategorized
As a home care nurse it goes without saying that one of the “perks” of the job is that you can devote all your time and energy to that one patient; ensuring individualized attention and care. As a result of this, it’s easy to see how quickly you become attached to your patients and their families. I have had the pleasure of working with the same patient for four years and I could not imagine my life without her! She is truly an extension of my own family and I often think of her as one of my own children. In fact her mother and I frequently joke that she is my child, as her birthday (October 25th) falls very nicely between my own two children’s birthdays (October 24th & 26th). So you can imagine how confused I get when asked to give one of the three dates of birth! Just as I do with my own children, I celebrate her victories; cry with her defeats, encourage her with her struggles, and continuously challenge her to be the best she can be. The overwhelming sense of joy that I feel caring for her and working with her family is difficult to put into words. As a mother I understand the leap of faith that is required to place your child in someone else’s hands, so I cannot even imagine how her parents must have felt four years ago trusting me to care for their very extraordinary daughter with special needs. Lucky for me they welcomed me with open arms and have embraced me into their family as well. Home care is a very unique sector of healthcare; one of the few places that a nurse can completely focus all their energy and resources on one patient. This allows you to truly feel like you are making a difference in someone’s life, and the job satisfaction that you take away from that experience is incredible!
“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” ― Confucius
By: Laurie Conbeer, RN, BSN