Does a Required Governmental License Make Me a Nurse or Even Credible?
A Nurse>Senior Care Manager>Teacher of What I Learned
Those who know me and those who’ve read my bio, know I am a nurse and my focus has been helping those with aging parents. The path I chose for my life’s work was based on learning early that “my people” were aging senior adults.
How to care for and help seniors age well on their terms, did come from years in a nursing career and my continuing to remain updated in the overall medical field. However, being able to teach others with aging parents, how to help their parents to finish well on their terms, came from a different source.
God formed me in my mother’s womb and instilled in me the attraction to the older population, whether they were a part of my family or not. I’ve written more details on this subject in other articles.
I want to briefly focus on what happened to the senior population, in the last three years. The disruptions in the lives of seniors as it related to the “pandemic” went totally against their quality of life and well-being, even though the risks and results of isolation were documented and well known by the medical field and many senior care agencies.
Here are just two examples of the results of senior population isolation:
Health Risks of Loneliness
“Although it’s hard to measure social isolation and loneliness precisely, there is strong evidence that many adults aged 50 and older are socially isolated or lonely in ways that put their health at risk. Recent studies found that:
Social isolation significantly increased a person’s risk of premature death from all causes, a risk that may rival those of smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity.1
Social isolation was associated with about a 50% increased risk of dementia.1
Poor social relationships (characterized by social isolation or loneliness) was associated with a 29% increased risk of heart disease and a 32% increased risk of stroke.1
Loneliness was associated with higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide.
Loneliness among heart failure patients was associated with a nearly 4 times increased risk of death, 68% increased risk of hospitalization, and 57% increased risk of emergency department visits.1”
Reference: 1 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults: Opportunities for the Health Care System. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25663.
Health Effects of Social Isolation, Loneliness
“Research has linked social isolation and loneliness to higher risks for a variety of physical and mental conditions: high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, a weakened immune system, anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s Disease, and even death.”
Source: https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/social-isolation-loneliness-older-people-pose-health-risks
I believe all working in the senior care medical profession knew the pandemic edicts would not go well for the senior population and their families.
My Wake Up Call
My state nursing license renewal is required every two years. Along with the renewal application process is continuing nursing education required hours and of course a fee for license renewal processing by the state government agency.
I’ve maintained my Registered Nurse license with all requirements since my original registration post my nursing degree and passing the state nursing licensing examination. Believe it or not, it has been 47 years.
In all those years of continuing education and the few years of college, not once did I learn what I know today about partnering with an aging parent and co-creating a parent aging plan for the years ahead. I know that statement sounds arrogant, but stay with me a bit longer.
God showed me positive results flow from a proper, declared relationship between adults and their aging parents. In addition, when the proper relationship, I called partnership, is fully established, the next step is knowing the specific conversations needed and how to communicate for the best results.
What I was learning and implementing over time was never taught or modeled in my nursing education, any continuing education curriculum, or anywhere else in my adult life. I’ve been contemplating these facts as I near another deadline for my RN license renewal.
In addition, these last few years, as we all watched governmental agencies’ actions, especially those related to medical policy of physicians, other practitioners, and medical facilities, trust has waxed and waned, as more truth has been revealed.
I’m not sure I want to be licensed by an agency that has no concept about what I’ve professionally accomplished with families over the years. I will never forget the ill advised treatment and policies imposed on our most vulnerable senior population and the outcomes experienced by their families.
How to Measure Credibility
Obviously, without a license to practice nursing in any state, one would never be employed or paid to practice or perform as a nurse. This is one reason why I maintained my license for so long.
My private consulting work with seniors directly, is where I began my second business, which arose from my love and affinity for the senior population. I was paid by the individual senior to consult with them on different issues related to aging and living a long full life. Obviously my nursing license gave me credibility and confidence in my skills from my senior clients.
This too is where I often saw a disconnect with the senior’s adult sons and daughters. The disconnect was not a lack of desire for family members to collaborate, rather a lack of how to do so without anxiety and misunderstandings. I experienced some of these same problems in my own family, ultimately leading me to shifting my business model as it is today.
As I’m soon to face another nurse license renewal deadline, I am overcome with: “why waste hours and money on RN renewal, when my best work is teaching people with aging parents how to partner and communicate in a way to co-create aging plans.”
Many of you who follow my substack and other social media, also know I’ve been writing a book to include what I teach adults with aging parents. The book is taking longer because God told me teaching sons and daughters of aging parents this content is only part of the book. For some reason, He believes you, my readers, will want and need more about my life that brought me to this knowledge and what is next for my life as I know it now. I foresee this may resolve another credibility issue.
Let Me Know Your Thoughts
I would love to know what you think, is a state nursing license necessary to you in considering how to get direction to help you with aging parent dilemmas?
What type of dilemmas are you facing, with your own aging parents?
What questions would you like to see addressed in a substack article or in the upcoming book?
Do you already have a source that has served you well as your parent continues to age without a concrete plan?
As my book progresses, I will have more time to write here. I hesitate to commit to a firm frequency as my personal life has drastically changed this year, mostly for the good. However, there are many uncontrollable and sometimes unexpected, time constraints in my life for awhile.
So I hope you will subscribe here, be a part of the conversation, and join others who I know are kindly waiting for the book completion!
Very interesting article, about a subject that is very important. I believe you're covering an important topic that there's a need for understanding it. Aging parents and family are very important, especially in today's entitled and distracted society. Even though, I don't have this issue, in my life, I see the value in what you're working toward. I also agree that God is guiding you, and your experience is a valuable resource for families.
As for advice on your license.... that can only come from God. He knows whether you're going to need it or not. Thanks for tackling an important subject for those who are going to need it at some point in their life!