Don't Take It Home with You
Sometimes you will need to take your work home with you, especially early on in your career as you learn and perfect so many skills and talents seemingly all at once. But don't overdo it. Plan your time and use it wisely. Multitask whenever you can to save some free time for fun. For example, look up the information you need, print it out and while you're at the laundromat waiting for the clothes to finish, read through the information.
Invest in a PDA and a drug software database so that you have information at your fingertips. Don't spend hours looking for more information at home; have it available in your pocket. You can also put the whole Merck Manual in your PDA with a built-in search function, as well as nursing drug books, information about diagnostic tests, etc.
Protecting Your PrivacyWhat would happen if everyone knew the private phone number of the White House? Well, scale that way back for you, but the effect is the same. You will have no private life the moment you give out your number!
Never give out your home or cell phone numbers to patients or their family members. You may bond with many of your patients and their loved ones over the years, but you need to keep your private life private. Just tell the patients that your facility forbids you giving out private information. (What facility won't back you up on that?) If the patient needs you, she can contact you through the facility, and if you're not available, someone else there can help her.
Living in the same community where you work, you will encounter former patients and family members from time to time. Sometimes you may find yourself having to hide in the vegetable section of the supermarket or the restroom at a restaurant to avoid them as well. Learn to smile, say hello, and keep moving. If they corner you, always refer them back to their physician for advice and information. Don't get involved!
Making Time for PaperworkHome care and community-based nurses often use a home office for paperwork. It's an easy habit to fall into, especially if you have children. You complete your visits and pick up the kids, rush home to start dinner, and work on your paperwork at the kitchen table. You get interrupted, and your children feel neglected, or you reprimand them for interrupting you. Or you delay the paperwork until they've gone to bed, and by then you're exhausted.
Try spending a half hour at the library or sitting in a fast food restaurant (with an iced tea or water) and doing some of your most important paperwork before you pick up the kids. Schedule the time just like a visit. Of course, you'll need to find a seat where you can protect the confidentiality of your work. If you have a babysitter and a home office, keep the babysitter a half hour longer and close yourself in your office. You'll find that then you can spend quality time with your family and not be so distracted. You'll even find that when you get to your paperwork later, there will be far less to do, and you won't be so exhausted.
Be organized and make your free time a priority. Use your mornings or evenings (depending on your shift) to keep up with errands and housework so that your days off can be spent relaxing and having fun. To some extent, that isn't always going to be possible, but make it a priority.
