Heidi: “Making a difference in patients’ lives in their homes feeds my soul”
Picture this: you’re driving to visit a patient on a beautiful day, windows rolled down and tunes up. Each day has a different destination and challenges, but for homecare registered nurses like Heidi Tisdale, who works for ThedaCare at Home, it’s a perfect job.
“I love the autonomy of working with my patients one-on-one,” said Heidi. “It’s so rewarding to help them through a crisis point in their lives and allow them to be in their own home environment while they do their rehab.”
Her desire to become a nurse started nearly 20 years ago when her father battled cancer. “Hospice nurses came to our home to help make him comfortable and I saw what a difference they made in our family’s lives,” she remembered. Today both Heidi and her sister are nurses. “Being a homecare nurse feeds my soul and lets me know that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be in life.
“I’ve worked on the floor and in nursing homes and was constantly being pulled in many directions during my day. When I’m with my patients, they have my sole attention. I know that I’m the gateway to help them get better. It’s a huge responsibility, but putting the patient first is something that ThedaCare truly believes in – and I’m proud to be able to make these personal connections with my patients.” She has been with ThedaCare for eight years.
Heidi’s day starts with a touch-base phone call with her team to assess the day ahead. “I usually see my first patient between 8:45 am and 9:00 am,” she continued. “Some days, I see four to five patients; if there are new admissions, it’s usually one or two patients.”
After she’s finished seeing patients, she heads home to do her charting. “There is a great deal of flexibility in my job which is perfect for me to be present with my children (ages 3 and 6). I can punch in and out to be there to pick up my kids from school, and punch back in to finish charting later in the day. Our supervisors are so supportive and work with you to make sure you have what you need to be your best.”
ThedaCare is hiring several ThedaCare At Home nurses! Please visit www.thedacare.org to view our available positions or call Kathy Birling at 920.830.5805 to discuss opportunities.
