Life Preserver

This is going to be a very short posting about how I have felt this past week. The best way for me to sum it up is that I have felt like a life preserver (and if I was a little rounder, I might look like one too :)). I think it is ironic that I could feel more like a life preserver now than I ever did in the ER, where it was our job to save everyone, and especially more so in hospice where we aren't saving ANYONE. There are truly no words to describe how it feels to walk into a home, or speak with someone thousands of miles away on the phone, and know that the reason they are able to continue caring for their loved one is because of the support you provide them. I have never experienced such gratitude and appreciation for my efforts as a nurse, and I have to say that I have also never loved a job the way that I love this one. If you are a nurse who is tired of the over-worked, under-appreciated, adrenaline-addict healthcare venue you are in, and want to pour yourself into the care of your patients, then I would seriously consider hospice work. I know it's not for everyone, but I believe that the Lord put me in this position because it lets the real me blossom and grow, and there are plenty of compassionate and kind-hearted nurses who may never get to exercise their full potential because they will stay in their comfort zones. Just my two cents.