I Am a Nurse Practitioner
I take care of people. I not only diagnose, treat, prescribe, order tests, and teach to empower patients regarding their health care, but I also meet families, collect stories, celebrate anniversaries, birthdays, new babies and mourn through illness and death. I get to glimpse behind the curtain of people’s lives to see their hearts as they relive memories and plan for the days ahead.
While most of my days at work are like anyone else’s days at work… filled with paperwork, meetings, red tape and the tyranny of the urgent… I also have many days that I get to experience beauty that transcends the mundane.
Like the days I see love communicated through compassionate care for one another as a husband of 60 years combs his ailing wife’s hair. Or the days I see adult children managing their parent’s bills and medical appointments often all while providing the hands on care needed as well. And there are the days I see a wife mowing the yard and taking out the trash so that her disabled husband will not have to do these household chores…then I see the disabled husband cry to watch his wife have to take over these chores.
There are also the days I see the impact of my work changing lives. A patient finally had a good night’s sleep because their pain was controlled. Another patient was able to eat a meal with their family because their nausea and vomiting was finally resolved. Some patients who have long standing needs met, like the need for medical equipment so that they can function more independently. Other patients who are dying and able to transition to hospice to focus on comfort care now that someone helped them have this conversation with their family.
There are also the days I am able to work as part of a team who puts patient care above all else. Every member fulfilling their unique role to the best of their ability so that a patient can receive the best care possible. To be a part of a top notch team and to see patients and their families benefit from our work is amazing. When it takes the whole team to get a job done it tends to be because of dire circumstances. While these situations often leave the team exhausted and emotionally drained, we are also exhilarated by the work we have done.
In spite of all the good and wonderful parts of my job, there are also the days I feel worn down by the needs and the hours spent working. Worn down by the bureaucracy of insurance policies and institutions. Worn down my lack of self care. It can be taxing on even the heartiest of humans. These are the days I remind myself that there is a purpose to my work. A purpose beyond the here and now….and I can’t imagine doing any other job.