Nurse urges grads to consider long-term care
Wednesday, May 9, 2007 -- Deron Hamel
Helen Thompson says caring for the elderly is the most “rewarding” of all nursing sectors and encouragers anyone thinking of a career in nursing to consider long-term care.

“There is something endearing about the elderly. I love working with them,” says Thompson, a registered nurse at Woodland Villa.

A native of Glasgow, Scotland, Thompson has been at the Long Sault long-term care home since October 1991. A nursing career seemed like the natural thing to do, she says.

“My mum was a nurse and it’s something I always wanted to do.”

Thompson says there are several challenges that nurses face in long-term care homes.

The biggest difficulty for many nurses, Thompson says, is working with residents who have behavioural problems, especially those who have afflictions such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Like other long-term care homes, Woodland Villa is having difficulty finding nursing staff. Thompson says nursing graduates should consider a career in long-term care. Having worked in other health-care sectors – including hospitals and midwifery – she says long-term care nursing gives her the greatest feeling of accomplishment.

“It’s really and truly rewarding,” she says. “In hospitals you don’t have the same relationships. (Patients) are in and out. In long-term care you get to know residents.”

Aside from the role of care provider, Thompson says long-term care nurses often have to fill in for family members

“A lot of (residents) don’t have family members who come to visit them very often” she says. “Sometimes it feels like you’re the only family they have.”

Debbie Kitchen, Woodland Villa’s director of care, says Thompson is an important member of the home’s care team.

“Helen is a very important asset. She knows the home inside-out,” says Kitchen.

May 7 to 13 in National Nursing Week. The week is reserved to give public recognition to nurses from all sectors for the work that they do. Kitchen says the week is “very important” for nurses, however, she stresses that nurses deserve a pat on the back every day for their work.

“It’s most appreciated when they get the thanks every day,” she says.

Kitchen underscores that it’s not just nurses who need to be recognized, it’s every member of the floor staff who needs appreciation.

“If it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t be able to run our home as well as we do.”