gratitude for my nursing career:  a hospice nurses perspective

throughout my nursing career I have always chosen the "path less traveleled", choosing assignments that no one else would take.  I found my true passion within the walls of a hospice program with every patient that I was given the honor to nurse.  I gained indelible lessons in life, love, and death.  I am using this blog post to share my gratitude for my nursing career, the lessons learned, and the life changing experiences it has gifted to me.  

Unconventional assignments and the road less traveled

nursing is a diverse field with various branches and specializations.  early in my career I felt an attraction to assignments that were often overlooked by others.  whether it was challenging cases or high stress environments, I embraced them all. These unconventional assignments allowed me to grow not just as a hospice nurse but as a person.  they taught me to accept challenges head on, to persevere in the face of adversity, and to find joy in the most unexpected places. 

{a quick shout out to my friend Ernestine:   we had an assignment to make a home visit in a pretty rough neighborhood one day.  she said "oh, I hate going there!" and then she quickly doubled back and said "well, Jesus went to the places that no one else would go, to touch the people that no one else would touch".  I just love Ernestine!}

being a hospice nurse:  the lessons in love and life 

my journey as a hospice nurse has been one of profound learning and personal growth.  it is a role that demands compassion,  resilience, and an unyielding spirit.   each patient that i have cared for has left an imprint on me, teaching me the true value of life and the profound nature of death.  in their last moments, my patients have shown me the strength of the human spirit, the beauty of unspoken love, and the dignity in saying goodbye. 

living life to the fullest:  inspired by my patients

there is a song by tim mcgraw,  live like you were dying .  .(go ahead and click, you know you want to!)   the song resonates deeply with me as it encapsulates the philosophy of many of my former patients.  they have taught me how to live each day its fullest,  to love without hesitation (even when everyone calls me crazy!) and to make each moment count.  their strength in the face of death has inspired me to appreciate life and its fleeting nature.  I am reminded of this every day by my art series "goin 2 war".  S was a patient that no one else would agree to see because he had spent most of his adult life in prison for murder and S is the subject of my goin 2 war series.  

Conclusion   

looking back, i wouldn't change a single moment of my nursing career.  the unconventional assignments, my journey as a hospice nurse, and the life lessons learned from my patients have shaped who I am today.  I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to serve, to learn, and to grow in this challenging yet rewarding field.  My nursing career has been more than a profession.  It has been a journey of self discovery, personal growth, and a testament to the strength of the human spirit.