JOBTalk with a hospice nurse
JOBTalk with a hospice nurse
Name/age Dierdre Johnson, 32
Occupation: Registered nurse, in-home hospice care
Employer: Tender Loving Care Home Health and Hospice, Burlington (an Amedisys company)
Salary range: $50,000-$60,000, based on expertence
Years in field: 12; seven as a registered nurseEducation: Diploma in nursing, Baptist Health Schools Little Rock in Little Rock, Ark.
Goal of the job: To provide quality care, comfort and support to terminally ill patients in their homes.
Task:■ Monitor vital signs and pain levels.■ Ensure the patient is taking medications correctly and at appropriate intervals.■ Educate patient and family of the disease process and serve as means of support and encouragement.
How did you become involved in this line of work?I started my career as an LPN (licensed practical nurse) when I was 20 years old. I have always had a passion to take care of people. I particularly like working with the elderly. I worked in a lot of different areas. A majority of the time I’ve been a nurse, I have worked in long-term care. But I wanted to get out into the community and have the flexibility between visits to patients.What is a typical day like? My day starts in the office at 8 a.m. I begin in the field around 9 a.m. visiting my patients and families until 5 p.m. I care for a total of 11 patients right now at their homes as well as at an assisted living facility. I see anywhere from four to six patients a day throughout the week. I am also on call every other week. Our hospice care services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Caring for patients facing end-of-life issues poses a significant challenge. How do you deal with it on a daily basis?Dealing with end-of-life issues can take a toll on you after a while. I go to my patients’ homes and I’m up close and personal with them. Many of them call me family because I’m going into their home two or three times a week. I give them the best quality of life: They’re pain free, resting and comfortable in their last days. Prayer is what gets me through — and knowing that the patient didn’t suffer because I was there.
What advice do you have for people interested in this job?The advice I would give anyone is to bring passion to this job. Much of my job involves talking, educating and also learning, such as about what my patients did when they were young or in good health. It’s not all medical nursing, it’s also “spiritual nursing.” With hospice care, sometimes the patient is comfortable emotionally but the patient’s caregivers need me to talk to them — to console, encourage or reassure them concerning their family member’s situation. You really have to have compassion, patience and a big heart.
Have an idea for Job Talk? Would you like to participate? Contact Patrick Collins at 412-5934 or patrick.collins@news-record.com.
Dierdre Johnson 072609
Dierdre Johnson, a registered nurse with Tender Loving Care Home Health and Hospice in Burlington, cares for four to six patients a day in their homes.
Nancy Sidelinger Special Sections Photographer
