It’s More Than Just a Home Visit

I was asked to write a short article for Hillside's newsletter. Thought I would share since I've been slacking on the updates! Enjoy!

For the last sixteen months, I’ve been serving the homebound patients of Punta Gorda town. I’ve realized home visits are much more to me now than just assessing a patient, giving medication, and providing useful information. The relationships I’ve built with my patients and their family members are extremely rewarding.

My patients have become a part of my life and are my Belizean family. It takes a few months for families to trust a new nurse. After some time, they feel comfortable enough to call my phone and communicate with me. For me, this is an effective way of providing quality care. Patients feel at ease incorporating me into their lives and explaining how the Belizean culture affects their home care.

 By letting me into their personal lives, my patients consider me as more than just a nurse, but also as a family member.  I’ve realized that building a strong rapport takes many home visits and multiple interactions. For example, if I say I’ll return to do a dressing change, the patient and family will expect me. It’s important to follow through with what you say, which is how I started to gain their trust. I also respond to calls at various hours of the day. For example, it’s not unusual to see me at a patient’s house at 8 pm if they need some medication for their chest pain or other ailments. I also visit my patients at the hospital and regularly communicate with the doctors and family. I like to make sure everyone is on the same page. I get so focused on the medical aspects of the patient and forget that a simple visit at the hospital can mean a lot. I was once told, “Thanks for coming to see me here. I’ve been lonely and scared.” My relationship with the patient was no longer just about medications; they needed me by their side.

With these strong relationships, providing care becomes much easier, because patients tell me their actual concerns and exactly how they’re feeling. Families feel comfortable coming to me for advice and let me know when they’re concerned, confused, or overwhelmed. For example, I recently went on a home visit with six medical students and a doctor. I was the last one to walk into my patient’s house and all I could hear was, “Where is Celia?!” My patient’s daughter ran past everyone in the room and grabbed my arm. She led me into the back room where her mom was and showed me a rash she was concerned about. That situation in particular has resonated with me…the daughter ran past everyone and grabbed my arm. I had butterflies in my stomach; she had complete faith in me.

            I feel blessed to have had this opportunity at Hillside and enjoy these bonds I have worked so hard to build. I get chills when I see how much these people look up to me. They have absolute trust in me, and it’s an amazing feeling that I’ll always remember.