The Situation Report | November 27, 2023
Tracy Crandall, RN is a case manager with the Eddy Visiting Nurse and Rehab Association. This past year, she received the HCA Caring Award, recognizing her strong and model commitment to home care patients and agency partners. As part of National Home Care and Hospice Month, get to know more about Tracey and her devotion to her patients.
1. What led you into health care to start?
When I was in fifth grade, I knew I wanted to do some thing in medicine, but was unsure on what exactly I wanted to do. Then when I was in 10th grade, I discovered that through our local BOCES program I could go to LPN school for part of the day in my junior and senior year. When I graduated, my instructor told me I need to go on to Russell Sage College for my bachelor’s degree in nursing so I did. I wanted to work with children, but they said that I needed to get experience first. I was able to meet with the manager of pediatrics and she hired me on the spot. This is the job that started my career in nursing 20+ years ago.
2. Describe a typical day as a home care nurse.
I don’t think there is a typical day. You may think you have your day all planned out, but many days something happens and your day does not go as planned. I like to start my day as early as possible, but not a lot of patients like early morning visits. I try to plan my day so my route is a circle so I am not driving all over the county. I typically see five to seven patients a day. Some may be an assessment and education and others are wound care or accessing the port, drawing labs and giving a medication. No two days are the same.
3. What makes home care the right job for you?
I enjoy the autonomy of the job as well as the one-on-one care I am able to give. Some patients are only on service for a few weeks, but others are on for long periods of time; as their nurse, you get to know them and their family. You get to develop true relationships and connections.
4. What has been the most rewarding part of your job/career?
I would say the most rewarding part has been the relationships I developed with colleagues while working in the hospital. Now as a home care nurse, I would say the most rewarding part is seeing patients get better and “graduate.” These days are both happy and sad. You are happy because they are healed, but you are sad because you will not see them anymore.
5. Why should prospective members join HCA?
Until I was the recipient of an HCA award earlier this year, I really had no idea what the HCA does. The day of the awards ceremony I was welcomed by all members of the HCA. I have realized that this organization really advocates for home care and the nurses.