Small Town Nursing

[passinthru]

Many the times that I have lamented that I can not stop in the local grocery for a gallon of milk without meeting someone who wants to share with me about their grandma's latest setback or newest diagnosis. This is fine, I want to be a good listener and show compassion, but it does not facilitate quick trips as my family will tell you. There have been times when I've driven to the next town just to avoid some of these encounters.

Today I recognized the flip side of being known in a small town. A woman who I know from the local pharmacy and chat with on a first name basis met me in the local food store and consoled ME on a recent loss in our family. The woman had tears in her eyes and gave me a big hug before I left. I was touched, I had not been looking for consolation but some how the encounter left me with a new respect for small town life.

I was wondering if anyone else has any feelings about nursing in their small town...or what about the big city nursing.

[bigsyis]

Oh, I LOVE my tiny town! We have approx 800 full-time residents, about twice that many in the summer. Yes, everybody can know your business, but, as you found out, knowing your business can not only be a PIA but a blessing. The best example I can give: the first year I lived (alone) in my mountainous area (after 40 yrs in FL) we had a blizzard. I lived 1/2 mile back in the woods. All of the roads were impassable for several days, and we didn't have power for a week. I was able to get out to work one day, and when I came home there were very wide tire tracks in my yard. Turned out, my mountain neighbors knew that I lived alone and was a newbie from FL and sent the National Guard, in a Humvee, to check on me! I was so thrilled that they thought enough of me to do that. The next year I had to have emergency major surgery, and my church took up donations on two separate Sundays to help me out, not to mention all of the food they cooked and brought, and even took me home from the hospital, and to MD visits.

Because the area is so remote, there is no place there for me to work, but I volunteered on the local Fire Dept for several years. For employment, I drive 40 miles to the nearest big city to work. I am always glad to leave it behind, and "head for the hills!"

Give me my tiny town any day of the week!:)

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

even when I worked in a major city my neighbors and I all ate & shopped and went to church in the same part of town so it seemed like a small town. I think it is nice to show people you care, as long as it you remain as neutral as possible. I am not comfortable with questions like "what do you think I should do?" or "What do you think about Dr. Whosit"? I just have some generic responses. Also, I feel people want a listener more than anything.

[fultzymom]

This doesn't really have to do with my nursing career but just a small town. I grew up in a small town et couldn't wait to get out (which I did). Now, six years later, my dad died et I am moving back as I bought my parents house. My whole family is in this town and as we have been doing the remodeling, so many of them have stopped by just to see how we are doing and if there is anything they can do or if they can just lend an ear if I need one. Small towns do have their down side, but they also have an up!

[kukukajoo, LPN]

Thank you for sharing! This is exactly why I want to stay rural when I graduate!

[TazziRN, RN]

I used to live and work in a small city with a small-town attitude. Shortly after my brother died I was in the pharmacy getting meds and I had to wait. I sat down and was just staring at the floor and the pharm tech sat next to me and gave me a hug. She said very simply, "I'm sorry about your brother."

I was surprised, I hadn't been using that pharmacy for very long, and I asked her how she knew. My brother's obit had caught her eye because of his age and she recognized my name as one of the survivors.

'Nuther example: my youngest had a problem with several episodes of pylo between her first and second birthdays, and her biggest symptom was vomiting. I was several hours away at my oldest daughter's track meet, sitting in the bleachers, when Little One got sick again. Whipped out my cell phone and put in a page to my doc. He called back within minutes and all I said was "J's puking again." By the end of the call I had a prescription called in to pick up and the lab would be expecting a sample from the baby. When I hung up the parent next to me was amazed...."Your doctor called you back?? And that quickly???"

[Ms Kylee]

Fultzy, That is so cool that you were able to buy your parent's house! Like you, I got out, but I have no hope of moving back till I"m through school and give the hospital their 4 years. It's funny, but I find myself going "home" more since my Dad died. So, it will probably be another 10 years before I can go home again. Then I'll probably get bored and want to move down south somewhere so I don't have to freeze in the winters. Congratulations on being able to go home again! :)