Working in Home Care: Alicia RN Story
When I graduated from nursing school I found a position in senior care at a supportive living site. It wasn’t originally an area I envisioned myself working, but I fell in love with it and have been in it ever since. I work in Home Care now, which has been challenging but rewarding.
There is a lot of autonomy working in home care and although we care for a lot of seniors, we also offer care to adults of all ages. I use my various nursing skills daily, but have also had to adopt a broad scope of knowledge that includes information and skills that pertains to Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Social Work and Respiratory Therapy. Critical thinking is also a key skill in Home Care. When you are working in someone’s home, anything can happen, and you do not always have access to colleagues and resources like you would in the hospital. We often have to get creative and find unique solutions to problems. That’s not to say that you don’t have access to supports, they just look a little bit different.
In collaboration with the multidisciplinary team (ie: occupational therapy, physiotherapy, social work), we assess what care needs a client requires and partner with contracted agencies to deliver this care. We see clients’ for a wide variety of things such as personal care, wound care, drain care, navigating community resources, compression therapy, etc.
What I enjoy most is the relationships I form with my home care clients. Being in someones home is such a personal space and you get the opportunity to build rapport and learn about their lives and their history. Seniors in particular have such interesting life experiences and stories to share; it’s an honor to have these experiences shared with me.
Our clients trust us, and this is usually a very vulnerable time in their lives. They often let me know how grateful they are, and how much they appreciate the care myself and my team provide.
The human connections we get to build are invaluable.
Alicia’s manager Karrie Andreyechuk, RN, had this to add:
Home Care helps people remain well, safe, and independent in their home for as long as possible. As a Case Manager, Alicia works directly with the client and is responsible for assessing the client’s needs and goals and ensuring the overall coordination of care and services.
Case Managers wear many hats and require adept critical thinking and complex problem-solving skills. As a Float CM, Alicia has the added challenge of “floating” to cover other caseloads during vacancies, leaves, or vacation time. She must quickly familiarize herself with an unknown caseload and identify and prioritize clients’ needs.
Her clinical expertise and strong assessment skills coupled with her intuitive, client-centered approach have helped her to be a capable advocate for home care clients. And with a willingness to support her team and take on new challenges, Alicia has also proven to be a valued mentor and role model. Home Care is lucky to have her!