Veteran Military Nurses Can Continue Making Contributions to Excellent Medical Care When They Choose a Second Career As a Home Health Nurse.
The professionals at Pegasus recognize the contributions made by military nurses. As a business owned and operated by nurses, we know the rewards of caring for others. We also know how demanding providing medical care can be.
Individuals have served others as nurses since the beginning of time. Their efforts were an integral part of maintaining good health. That’s still true today.
Nurses continue to contribute to improvements in medical care. They:
- Are hands-on participants in medical care
- Suggest ways to advance the level of care
- Use technology to help patients
A nurse’s compassion and expertise is an important facet of healing.
People often stereotype nurses as women. However, men are competent nurses as well. In fact, one of the earliest nursing groups in recorded history was comprised only of men.
The Catholic church is credited with the first military nurses. The church authorized a group of monks to provide aid, assistance, and medical attention. The work of female nurses is more widely recognized now.
Nurses have a long history of aiding soldiers injured in military action. Florence Nightingale cared for the wounded in the Crimean War in 1854. She’s credited as the founder of modern nursing practices.
Clara Barton aided wounded soldiers during the American Civil War. She went on to start the American Red Cross.
Military nurses today continue to help their fellow soldiers. Since 1947, nurses have been commissioned officers with the same rank, pay, and privileges as other military officers. Their duties now include challenges such as caring for veterans with PTSD.
Veteran Military Nurses Can Find Fulfillment Providing Home Health Care
The goal for all nurses is to help patients get better. As a military nurse, you often cared for your patients in war zones and faced danger daily. You may have been a first responder to gruesome scenes.
Your patients usually had traumatic injuries, including gunshot wounds. Military nurses frequently administered emergency aid in stressful conditions. You likely went for hours without a break or adequate rest.
A career as a home health care nurse offers challenges without the danger of a battlefield. You help patients in the comfort of their homes. You have the reward of providing one-on-one service and seeing long-term improvement.
Isolation Can Lead to High Suicide Rates in Soldiers and Seniors
Although your home care patients are much different from soldiers, you’ll discover commonalities. For example, seniors and veterans both have high rates of suicide. Although for different reasons, both groups feel isolated.
Veterans often feel uncomfortable around civilians. Seniors feel left out of normal life. Death has claimed friends, leaving them alone.
Home health care professionals help relieve the isolation by:
- Helping their patients make new friends
- Encouraging them to take up new activities
- Offering consistent support
By forming a non-judgmental relationship with patients, you can reduce isolation and depression.
As a home health care nurse, you’ll experience many of the positive feelings you had as a military nurse.
These include:
- Pride in your work
- Commitment
- Willingness to take risks when appropriate
- Initiative and self-reliance
- Patience and perseverance
- Decision making
You’ll learn something new every day.
Home health care clients are varied. Most clients are seniors, but we assist individuals of all ages. Their needs vary from rehab to post-surgical care to full-time support.
Many of our senior clients are coping with the infirmities that come with aging. Helping them live safely at home is a priority. Every client and every day presents new challenges to caregivers.
We treat all our clients with:
- Dignity
- Respect for their privacy
- Regard as an individual, not as a diagnosis
Our goal for each person to live as independently as possible at home.
Join Our Team of Home Health Care Professionals
Is the next step in your career helping individuals in a home setting? If so, we encourage you to consider joining the Pegasus Home Health Care team. You’ll have the reward of making differences that you can see in the lives of individuals.
Pegasus is a licensed Home Care Organization and a Joint Commission Accredited Home Health Care organization. We’re recognized as an industry leader in helping clients feel safe and respected. Pegasus professionals have provided quality care since 1994.
We encourage our professionals to be proactive. We’ll listen to your ideas and suggestions. You’ll be treated with respect by your colleagues and by our staff.
As a member of the Pegasus team, you’ll join experts dedicated to improving the quality of life for others. You’ll have opportunities for personal and professional growth. You’ll also be able to keep up with the standards of the nursing profession.
We’re hiring professionals who are dedicated to helping others. If you’re a veteran military nurse looking for ways to use your skills in a civilian setting, please join us. You can make a difference.
We hope you choose to make Pegasus Home Health Care your new professional home. But whichever career path you select, we salute you on this Veterans Day. The contributions you’ve made to medical care are valued and appreciated.
