Attachment to patient and vice versa

[BertG77]

I have been working for a home health agency for several months and particularly with a client with whom I work with over a 16 hours shift, once a week. This is a bedridden client who needs total care and who has been a joy to work for. Over the months I've received such great feedback/compliments from himself and his family. An issue that's developed lately is that I recently began the first semester of my BSN program and due to my school's location, I have a long commute and these factors have made my total availability to work, more limited. I've noticed that once I told my client that I wouldn't be as available, he began to act a little differently with me, seemingly withdrawn. I can't help but feel that he is disappointed that I am not able to see him as frequently as well as when I am there, in between performing my duties, I tend to be engrossed in my studies. This doesn't make me that much less present or likely to engage in conversation with him, as we still have great report much of the time, I am just sensitive to the changing dynamic and am posting this here for any insight into how to best deal with this. Am I just too sensitive? Is this something that all newbies go through? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[yogastudentRN]

So, he is dependent on you for his care, and now he needs to find other care for the hours you aren't available to work because of your school schedule, correct? He had a stable caregiver lined up, and finding a new routine or additional providers for his needs is time consuming and stressful. Can you really think of any employer that would be happy with you for cutting back your hours if they had been depending on them?