Degrees...

I woke up late this morning. Well, not really late, just late by Daylight Savings Time. It takes me a couple of weeks to get adjusted to the time change. I should have all the clocks reset—by the time the time changes again…

I didn’t get into the office until 10. I needed to speak to the Intake nurse about a couple of cases I admitted to home health services over the weekend. I got the information I needed, got the charting finished, and transmitted the information to the server.

One of our newer nurses was in the office at the same time I was. She was doing the same thing I was: catching up on paperwork. It made her feel better to see that one of the “seasoned nurses” was “behind”, too. We talked for a long time about all the things that tug at us: job, home, kids, laundry, grocery shopping, and housework. We both agreed that we are tired way too often.

I shared a couple of “tricks of the trade” with her; things she can do to make her life easier. One of the easiest “fixes” in this type of work is a fax machine. I can send and receive vital information via my fax machine and not have to go into the office. She liked that idea and is planning to get one soon.

After I was finished in the office, I went to the grocery store. I saw some items on sale that a patient of mine uses and likes. She is homebound and can’t get out to the grocery store. So, I bought them for her. And she loves cookies: I bought her favorite kind….sugar cookies with frosting on top. They are decorated for St. Paddy’s Day….

When I got to her home, the door was locked. It is never locked. I always just walk in the house. I looked in the front window. She wasn’t sitting in her chair in the family room, where she always sits. I rang the doorbell. My heart was beating a little faster: her “Meals On Wheels” lunch was sitting on the chair on the front porch.

Finally, her son, Jeff, answered the door. It seems she is not feeling well and was lying down on her bed. I went in and sat on the bed and talked to her for a long time. She is nauseated today, and felt a little dehydrated. I was glad that I brought her the flavor of Gatorade that she particularly likes. I put some ice in her favorite mug and poured her a glass and took it to her.

We continued to talk as I made sure that she drank her Gatorade. I helped her up to the bathroom and then tucked her back into bed. She is tired and needs to rest. I will see her again tomorrow to do her wound care.

When I got home, I talked to my best friend. We were talking about school and degrees and such. He wants me to finish my BSN since I am so close to having it. He says that I have “earned it” and I “deserve” it. Of course, he is prejudiced but, I think he is right. I think my thirty plus years of registered nursing practice should give me the units of experience that I need to graduate.

And I think I will probably finish my degree, eventually. The problem I have with it right now is that I love what I do, I love my patients, I believe that I fill a need in our community, I can do it without the degree and I am too lazy to go to school.

By the way, did I mention that today is my day off?