Hello.
I started my new job as a home health nurse 2 weeks ago. I am totally loving it. I feel like this is what I was born to do and am so grateful to be allowed to do it.
When I was working on med/surg as a new grad, my preceptor said "you have to learn to get out of that room". What she meant was that I spent a lot of time just talking to my patient. I only worked med/surg for a very short time, but I did learn to get out of the room. I hated not having the time with patients because I don't think many things are more important than listening to the patient. I have made many "saves" just by being alert to what I am being told and following through when something plucks that "oh oh - this is important" string that I believe all good nurses have or develop.
Notwithstanding, there is a point, especially with the lonely and the housebound, where I really must go.
How do you experienced home care nurses, or anyone else for that matter, with finite time and energy, move that meeting to a close while at the same time, expressing to the patient that you are interested, they matter, and in a perfect world, you would have that cup of tea?