'Real-Life' Experience Was Crucial For A Philadelphia Nurse
Dorothy Sachs has been a home health care nurse since July 2014. She made the career change after 13 years helping people by phone in call centers. First with NCB Management Services, Inc. and then at Sykes (Abbott Diabetes Care). When she was with Sykes Enterprise, she was a quality assurance specialist which was part of a team that worked on Abbott Diabetes Care. She completed the Lincoln Technical Institute Northeast Philadelphia Practical Nursing program in April. Dorothy passed her board certifications in June and has been working as a home health nurse since July 2014.
Can you describe your duties as a nurse?
"As a home health nurse my duties include observing and assessing the health of my clients. I monitor vitals and reactions to medications and look for changes in behavior and condition. I report directly to the client's physician and family, especially regarding concerns for new medical conditions or worsening health. The purpose of in-home nursing care is to provide an individual with independence while still remaining under supervised care. As the patient's caregiver, I am responsible for the medical and emotional well-being of my patients. Home care nurses are licensed and certified; therefore, I can administer medication to patients. Nurses are not able to prescribe medications to their patients though they can alter a patient's dosage with a physician's approval. In addition, I provide assistance with simple tasks such as bathing, grooming, and eating, as well as provide emotional, medical and physical support."
How has education prepared you for your career as a nurse?
"Education is a must prior to becoming a nurse! It has helped me to have a better understanding of the human body and how it works. You must become licensed to work as a nurse in each state. I attended Lincoln Technical Institute Northeast Philadelphia Practical Nursing program. Wherever you go, it's important to find a school that teaches by doing, not just watching, in addition to informative lectures and labs. I found that having some relevant, "real-life" experience was useful when I needed to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN). Also, the hands-on training helped me feel more confident that I would be able to fulfill the physical aspects of my job like taking and reading vital signs, immobilizing injured limbs, learning about infection control, how to properly dress wounds and administering medications. Having this confidence helped me focus on providing care."
What advice would you give someone just starting out?
"Never give up!! I pursued nursing because I liked helping people, but I was initially worried about some of the physical aspects of the job. When I went to school, the hands-on training helped me feel more confident about those parts of the job and helped me focus on caring for my clients. It's been motivating to get to play a vital role in the medical industry by promoting, maintaining and restoring health."
Christina Thompson is a freelance writer living in Philadelphia. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.