Five of the best things about serving older adults as a nurse
National Nurses Week begins each year on May 6 and ends on May 12, Florence Nightingale’s birthday. We are honored to celebrate the many nurses at The Lutheran Home Association who share Christ’s love as they serve the spiritual, physical, intellectual and emotional needs of people entrusted to our care.
It’s also National Nursing Home Week this week. So what’s it like to be a nurse at a nursing home? 
The answer may not be what you think. Brooke is a licensed practical nurse (LPN) at The Lutheran Home: River Falls, and she shares what it’s like to have her job:
I enjoy working at The Lutheran Home mostly due to the amazing team and the residents I get to know and spend my time with. There are so many reasons I feel privileged to have the job I do!
- You get to know your patients. In the long-term care nursing home setting, you can enjoy meaningful relationships with your patients over a long period of time.
- Older people have a lot to share. Working with older patients can be very enlightening. Patients who have lived long lives may have stories, good advice, and interesting perspectives to share.
- Your patients will appreciate you. Most patients who need help with their basic care —such as brushing their teeth, and hair, getting dressed and moving from place-to-place — are at a stage in their life where they are dealing with a lot of frustration and loss of independence. Just being there for them can be hugely appreciated.
- You gain a new perspective on aging. When you’re young, the concept of aging is hard to grasp, but it is a valuable life lesson to understand the aging process. You can come to respect the things people have gone through in their lives.
- You are often working with a GREAT group of co-workers. Nursing is a field that attracts people who care about others. Many people have entered the field specifically because they want to help others. Working in this environment with other like-minded people can open the doors for new friends and mentors.
Join our caring team! We have opportunities in nursing and many other careers. Find out more and apply today.