Adventures in Home Health, did you have one today?

[wonderbee, BSN, RN]

Don't you think that HH is a whole different ballgame? I do believe every day is an adventure and we meet so many souls out there. Some are kind and hospitable, some are mean and scary and others are just sick and poor needing a lifeline and at that moment, we are it. That we're out in an uncontrolled environment adds an air of adventure to our meetings. Without violating HIPPA laws, I think we can generally speak about our patient encounters and it could be interesting reading.

Sometimes my route takes me into the rural small towns in the foothills and ridges of the Alleghenies not far from the WV state line. Yesterday I found myself driving through one of them where "Main Street" was only a partially paved road hrough the middle of town. Garmin told me to make a right off of Main Street so like a good little Garmin follower, I did. It was a twisty windy single lane, only partially paved. I had only a 1.3 miles to go. There were nothing but winter-bare trees on either side with signs "no trespassing, we shoot trespassers". Not very inviting. About a third of the way in, the paving becomes more dirt than paved and the signs keep appearing. When I get to .9 miles in, the road is completely dirt and ice and snow covered. My vehicle is not equipped for those conditions and turning around is impossible so slowly I reverse he entire way out with the music from "Deliverance" playing in my head with thoughts of no one would know where to look for me.

After reversing nearly a mile, I'm back on the main road and find my patient. His house is at the end of, you guessed it, a dirt road. It's a corrugated metal job and there's nothing but an empty cornfield beyond. As I pull up and record my mileage, two gentlemen appear and ask me if I need anything or am lost. I tell them no, I'm a visiting nurse. They tell me to go 'round to the back and my patient will let me in. I thought it odd. The patient seems nice enough but tells me he doesn't watch tv because he "doesn't like colored people". Uh-oh. He tells me his neighbors watch out for him and they go "way back". "We're old Klan" he says. Yes folks, they're still out there. Now I'm white but it made me real uncomfortable just the same. I think of the poor nurses of color (or not WASPy) that take their chances going into these situations unknowing. So that was yesterday's adventure for me.

Anyone else want to share?

[annaedRN, RN]

I too love the diversity of HH. Everytime I get an admission I always wonder what it holds! I love getting to meet new people and feel that I truly get to see the real person behind the diagnosis...more so than in the hospital per se. I haven't had any real "doozies" lately..but I did recently discharge a sweet, eccentric lady that moved back here after spending most of her life in Hollywood ( her mother and she moved there when she was 12 to be an actress.) She showed me her photos of herself when she was "stand-ins" for movie stars ( Elizabeth Taylor for one!) She ( at age 70 couple) wanted the doc to giver her a tummy tuck when he reversed her colostomy!

It is heart breaking to know that we are the only link to the outside world that some of these people have. It is rewarding yet saddening to bring our hands and hearts to these patients! On a different note...doesn't seem to be that our cranky and difficult patients are the ones we keep in service the longest?

[jnette, ASN, EMT-I]

Don't you think that HH is a whole different ballgame? I do believe every day is an adventure and we meet so many souls out there. Some are kind and hospitable, some are mean and scary and others are just sick and poor needing a lifeline and at that moment, we are it. That we're out in an uncontrolled environment adds an air of adventure to our meetings. Without violating HIPPA laws, I think we can generally speak about our patient encounters and it could be interesting reading.

Sometimes my route takes me into the rural small towns in the foothills and ridges of the Alleghenies not far from the WV state line. Yesterday I found myself driving through one of them where "Main Street" was only a partially paved road hrough the middle of town. Garmin told me to make a right off of Main Street so like a good little Garmin follower, I did. It was a twisty windy single lane, only partially paved. I had only a 1.3 miles to go. There were nothing but winter-bare trees on either side with signs "no trespassing, we shoot trespassers". Not very inviting. About a third of the way in, the paving becomes more dirt than paved and the signs keep appearing. When I get to .9 miles in, the road is completely dirt and ice and snow covered. My vehicle is not equipped for those conditions and turning around is impossible so slowly I reverse he entire way out with the music from "Deliverance" playing in my head with thoughts of no one would know where to look for me.

After reversing nearly a mile, I'm back on the main road and find my patient. His house is at the end of, you guessed it, a dirt road. It's a corrugated metal job and there's nothing but an empty cornfield beyond. As I pull up and record my mileage, two gentlemen appear and ask me if I need anything or am lost. I tell them no, I'm a visiting nurse. They tell me to go 'round to the back and my patient will let me in. I thought it odd. The patient seems nice enough but tells me he doesn't watch tv because he "doesn't like colored people". Uh-oh. He tells me his neighbors watch out for him and they go "way back". "We're old Klan" he says. Yes folks, they're still out there. Now I'm white but it made me real uncomfortable just the same. I think of the poor nurses of color (or not WASPy) that take their chances going into these situations unknowing. So that was yesterday's adventure for me.

Anyone else want to share?

Oh my ! Sounds all too famliar. Thank goodness I don't have too many of these, but I have had some. There are some outlying areas that are not in my "zone" which do fit thie above description, however.. but our nurses who live in that area cover these. (*whew* !!!)

I'm grateful that most of "MY" zone has had nothing but pleasant patients.. grateful to see me coming, kindhearted, generous souls.

But I've been down a few of those "hollers" myself, and it's always a wierd feeling. I'm usually pleasantly surprised, though, once I meet them. And I do NOT get into the taboo discussions with these foks, though. I avoid those loaded conversations like the plague. I'll ask them about chicken 'n dumplings, biscuit recipes, instead... anything but.