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Like many, if not all of you, I pursued a nursing career so that I could make a difference in clients’ lives. How can I make this dressing change better for them? Often with kindness, humour and a sense of calm. I recognized early on we have an immense power, as nurses. I’m introduced to people out of necessity and often during the worst and most uncertain time in their lives. My mission has been to remove even the smallest of barriers, to meet them where they are at, to include their family and provide a wholistic approach to care.
Clients often have so much to worry about that I didn’t want them to have to worry about the nurse. I wanted to be a consistent ray of hope and comfort. I wanted to make each day just a little easier with me, then without me.
I’ve had a remarkable career and have been privileged of being welcomed not only into clients’ homes, but also their families’. I had a sibling of a patient reach out to me on social media after 20 years, he was about eight years old when I last saw him. He commented that I was their favourite nurse, remembering that we used to have lots of fun.
Clients often have so much to worry about that I didn’t want them to have to worry about the nurse. I wanted to be a consistent ray of hope and comfort. I wanted to make each day just a little easier with me, then without me. To value what they think is important, to respect their autonomy and right to choose. To empower them with teaching. Together, we form a dynamic team, setting achievable goals and supporting the clients in a multifaceted way.
Submitted June 2024
