Movin' On, Movin' Back

Have I ever talked to y'all about home care nursing?  

I have done a boatload of it.  AIDS patients, IV antibiotics, TPN, dressing changes; I've done them all.  The problem was, I could never make any real money at it.   Back in the day, the only ones with steady employment were the case managers.  

I finally left field work and went into education full-time, but I have always enjoyed being on the road, making creative work of patient care.  

Home care is another breed of cat, and the first thing you notice is this: the balance of authority is different when you are on the patient's turf, instead of him being on yours.   The down side of that is, you become more a partner in wellness and less a director.  Some nurses hate that aspect of it; they also hate the travel, dislike going into strange environments, and are easily frightened by anything out of the way.  

The things I dislike about hospital nursing have to do with the lack of those stimulants!  Lord knows there is plenty to stimulate you on a given hospital shift, but seldom do the stimulants have to do with pleasant surprises.  So, when I was offered a job doing regular home care I thought it was too good to be true.

Now I'm down to the last night of 11-7.  I love the people I work with on nights; they are The Best.   We've shared some truly awesome moments.  They have helped me grow and learn to be a better nurse than I ever was before.   I can only hope to find their equal over in Home Care, but I doubt if I'm going to try.  Some things are irreplaceable.  


So, to Blondie, Mr. Somber, New Kid, and all the rest, farewell but not good bye forever.  I will miss you all.