I absolutely love nursing as a career. With so many different roads you can navigate as a nurse, the journey is endless. One stop I made for over 11 years was in home-care. Visits specifically. I loved the autonomy I had and the ability to cruise in my car from patients house to house. In my car I could listen to music, a podcast, chat on the phone, or just take a moment in the silence with my thoughts. I did put a lot of mileage on my car, but was given a credit per mile. I think I may have also developed a pre-cancerous spot on my left arm from all those years of driving, I guess the sun can still creep through that window. Remember wear your SUNSCREEN. Let me tell you about some of the great things, especially for LPN's. There is autonomy. You are in the home by yourself caring and making decisions. This is why I think its important to have a few years under your belt before traveling this road. Of course the doctor or your agency is just a call away if you need help. And trust me you will call 911 at least a few times on this path. Patients heart rate is 30, yup 911 is getting called. There is also opportunity for many skills. Phlebotomy, check. Foleys, check. Wound care, check. Wound vac, check. Trach care, check. Staples & suture removal, check. Medi-planner fill, check. Injections, check. The skills are infinite. Plus my absolutely favorite, education. As some of you know I am a nursing instructor in an LPN program. I love teaching, but it first started with teaching my patients. I tell my students as a nurse you are an educator too. Our patients need to understand their health so they can care for themselves. Teaching possibilities with our home-care patients are constant. I don't usually do formal teaching moments, although I sometimes do. What I love doing is just teaching as I move through the visit. A little teaching on diet, filling their medi-planner a little teaching on Coumadin, doing wound care add some teaching on hand washing, you get my point. I could go on for days about home-care. Maybe I will do a Part 2 in the future. As I end think about the journey you are on and the different stops you may possibly take along the way. Nursing is an amazing career, be proud!

Wendy Ball BSN, RN, Co-owner PassLPN