As I was
speaking with a friend and co-worker the other day, we talked about why we
liked our job, and how we reap the benefits in our personal lives. We both
agreed we would not have it any other way. That conversation has resonated with
me since then, and I have been thinking about why we do what we do every day.
Thinking
back to that conversation, on this cold December evening, I started remembering
all the different nursing positions I have held in my career, and about the
times I have had to have to go out at all hours to visit patients during my
tenure as a home health/hospice nurse. I remember driving on back roads that
were icy and snowy to make those visits, and even times, I parked my car,
grabbed my bag, and walked in to see patients because it was just not safe to
drive. I also remember, during snow storms, packing a change of clothes,
telling my family I was not sure when I would be home, and catching a ride to
the hospital to work my shift. All because that is what you do when you are a
nurse.
Reminiscing
about prior positions, different patients over the years have come to mind as
well. There were patients that I can still remember their names, and there are
some that their name is not so clear, but the bonds we developed, I will always
cherish. There are also patients that I would rather forget because they were
difficult, and well, let’s face, just mean.
Being a
nurse does not come without injury at times either. You risk being bitten, hit,
kicked, and God-forbid seriously injured by a patient who has serious mental
issues. There are also risks of physical injury from the strain of lifting, bending
and pushing objects that weigh more than they should.
When I
discovered telephone triage nursing, I never knew such a position existed. At that time, I was searching online for work
at home positions for nurses. My mother had recently moved in because her
health was declining, and I knew that I soon needed to be available for her
more. Working outside the home was not going to be an option any longer.
I secured a
position with a very small company as a contracted nurse. At that time, the pay
scale was that of a new graduate, but it was not the pay I was seeking. It was
the position. Training was not paid, and
I had to travel two hours one way to train with another nurse. The nurse, who
was gracious enough to let me into her home, was very good at her job and made
it seem so easy. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I just knew I
needed this to continue earning income. I was determined I was going to learn
this position, and learn it well.
After my
training was complete, my first shift on my own was a four-hour block. Admittedly,
I did have illusions about working remotely as a telephone triage nurse and
thinking how easy the position sounded. I quickly learned it was just that, an
illusion.
I had my
protocol books all laid out, and with each call, I was so focused that I do not
remember even looking at the time until my shift was almost over. I also distinctly
remembering I had one of the most severe headaches I ever had, and being
exhausted! That is when I realized that although being a telephone triage nurse
is not physically demanding, if performed correctly, it is the most mentally
challenging positions you will ever hold.
As time went
on, I challenged myself to learn other specialties I knew every little about. I
had been an adult nurse most of my career, and now I was dealing with
pediatrics and obstetrics as well. I wanted to sound to callers that I was
self-assured and knowledgeable. Callers will not trust a triage nurse who does
not seem to know the content of what they are speaking of.
At this
point, I was enjoying my new found position. I liked the new challenges, and I
also started to challenge myself to be more efficient. I admired my nurse
manager, and I challenged myself to exceed her hourly completed calls. I am
that kind of person who wants to excel in whatever I decide to do.
There was
something else I was learning about this position. For the first time, in a long
time, as a nurse, I felt appreciated. Not just by my employer, but by the
callers. As I went from call to call, thoroughly assessing their complaints,
finding the right protocols, and offering advice, I could hear the appreciation
in their voices. Many openly expressed that appreciation. I thought I had seen
all the areas of nursing there was to offer, but there is something about
calling a patient’s home that seems to put you right there in the home with
them. Their true emotions are exposed, and they seem to be less reserved like
they might be in a facility setting.
Just like my
experiences working in a facility setting, I have had some telephone encounters,
working as a remote telephone triage nurse that forever changed my life. There
are still the occasional difficult callers, but for every one of those, there
are two who are appreciative.
Over the
years, my position has allowed me to care for my mother until she passed away,
home-school my children, be at school parties and functions as they got older
and go to my own appointments without having to miss any work time. I have been
able to work from the comfort of my own home without having to travel in bad
weather, and even on days I have been ill
and would have otherwise had to be absent if working elsewhere.
I have been
able to work between two homes and travel while working in this position, and
ultimately, it has allowed me to be able to move to my dream home on the lake.
It is located in a very rural area where positions are limited, and if not for
this position, I would have to have waited until retirement to do so.
Lastly, the
icing on the cake is the friendships I have developed. I have heard so many
others say working at home is so isolating. It is isolating only if you allow
it be. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet some great people from other cities
and states that you would otherwise never have the privilege of knowing. We
converse during off times at work, support each other, share facebook pictures
and messages, have phone conversations, and sometimes even get the privilege of
meeting face to face. Many have developed closer bonds than they have with
their own friends or family who live locally.
That is why
I am a telephone triage nurse. It is not just a job. It is the opportunity to
not only help someone, but possibly change their life. It is the opportunity to
have a life that I love, and it is the opportunity to develop life-long
friendships with awesome nurses who share the same vision.
