I enrolled in nursing school the summer after my dad passed away. For five years I had been his primary caregiver. It was such a positive experience that I decided, at the age of 52, to pursue a nursing career with the goal of working in a long term care setting. I wanted to take care of those who did not have the option of receiving care at home. It was my way of giving back to others, because God had been so good to allow me to take care of Daddy.

When I say the course of study was unbelievably hard, I am not exaggerating. Of the thirty-three students enrolled on day one, only thirteen graduated. It was one of the most demanding years of my life; but it was worth it.

Most of the ladies in the class (there were no male students that year) were already certified nursing assistants who had decided to climb the career ladder. A prerequisite for the program was having a CNA license, so in the few months before enrollment, I scrambled to study for and pass the state-licensing test. Except for taking the vital signs of one of the testers, the entire exam was multiple-choice questions. I only missed one of the questions, but soon discovered that answering questions on paper was much easier than practicing skills on actual patients. The young, trained CNA’s were much more prepared for clinicals (although my experience with Daddy combined with age-related maturity helped sustain me through the course of study). In the beginning, our routines as nursing students were similar to that of nursing assistants – providing assistance with activities of daily living (ADL’S). As I became competent in each area, a recurring thought was, “I wish I had known these skills when I was taking care of Daddy.”

While I knew I had given my best in the “loving care” department, if I had also known these “practical skills” life could have been much easier for me and more comfortable for daddy. I was reminded of the first time I used a lift to transfer him from his bed to a chair and we both ended up on the floor…unhurt…but it could have been a serious situation. 

Many family caregivers are thrust into their role without much warning or training. I knew a few months ahead of time that we would be moving in with Daddy, but it did not occur to me to train for that position. I thought being his daughter would be enough.

In hindsight, it would have been profitable to prepare for practical issues in some way. I could have:

• Talked to other family caregivers and asked them what I needed to know.
• Read a manual for nursing assistants or even enroll in one of the training sessions that are offered by community colleges, medical facilities or on-line. These classes teach the basics of anatomy and physiology; how to take vital signs; best methods for bathing, turning in bed, transferring to and from bed, providing incontinence care, etc. Another valuable skill that a family caregiver may not consider as essential but can be useful – especially when communicating with heath care workers – is observation and documentation skills. Monitoring for pressure sores and providing treatment for minor skin problems is also a part of most CNA curriculums. This is just a partial list of topics that would be covered. You probably are thinking how helpful this would be. 
• Joined a caregiver support group. I did this over a year into my journey and it was extremely beneficial; I surmise that it would have been even more helpful to have received this encouragement (as well as many good caregiving tips) from the beginning. 

These steps are certainly not required to perform in your role as a family caregiver, but I believe that can be advantageous to giver and recipient. 

Of course, love, empathy, patience and kindness are requisites. But you know that.

Over the next few weeks, I will be sharing some of the skills I learned in nursing school that are applicable for home care. 

Just a note on the Coronavirus situation: I have listened to the news (maybe not a great idea as the experts continually contradict each other); have done a lot of research (some helpful); and have talked to health care professionals (the best source). Stay calm. Stay caring. Stay close to home when warranted. Since this seems to be most harmful to the elderly and those with pre-consisting conditions, stay cautious. But try not to freak out. This too will pass. 

Isaiah 26:3