Nurses Making a Difference in our Community

– By Infinity Homecare –

Linda Wilson, LPN, is a per-diem nurse who has been employed in the Port Charlotte Infinity office for several years. She continuously strives to “make a difference” in the lives of everyone that she touches, including her patients. We consider her a “quiet-angel” as she is ever so subtle in reporting her good deeds. When the office staff is desperate to find a nurse to cover a last-minute visit, Linda Wilson will volunteer. When a staff meeting is scheduled, and we are in need of someone to answer the phones for a moment, Linda will volunteer. When an employee is sick, Linda will bring chicken soup. When an employee or patient is in despair, Linda is there to listen and comfort. She is unselfish. She is thoughtful. She is a blessing.

Linda Prayed with Her Every Visit
Several months ago, Linda told me the story of an elderly woman who was a patient of Infinity. Linda was scheduled to see the woman for the first time, and during the visit, the woman was teary and in despair, because she had been recently re-located to an ALF. The woman expressed that she felt that her family had abandoned her. The woman asked for Linda to pray with her, and Linda prayed with her every visit and sang Christian hymns that she was familiar with to comfort her.

Linda and I were at a local gym one evening, and it was 9:00 pm when she received a call from a patient asking for Linda to visit her that evening. I asked Linda why a patient would request her to come out so late at night. She stated that the patient was fearful that she would not take her medications correctly the next morning. I asked why she couldn’t just visit her in the morning. Linda replied that the patient would not sleep all night, as she would worry terribly. Linda said, “I will go tonight. She just needs to be reassured.”

Seeking to Make a Difference
There is a patient of Infinity Homecare that requires wound care, and this patient chooses to live in a filthy environment. He lets his dishes pile up. His trash cans are typically overflowing. He also only bathes a couple of times a week, and the smell of the whole environment is amplified by the fact that the patient does not turn his air conditioning on. Many nurses dread visiting this patient. Linda volunteers readily. After a recent visit, I asked how the patient was doing, and Linda replied, “You know, he really just needs a friend who cares.” She went on to tell me that when she completes the nursing visit, she stays a while longer to simply listen. This patient loves to tell stories and enjoys having someone to hear him. He rarely has visits from anyone other than home health. This is typical of Linda. She is completely unselfish. She looks deeper into the individual and sees past the illness or the environment. She consistently seeks to “make a difference.”

On a Mission to Bestow Good and Kindness
There are countless patient examples over the last several years which exemplify Linda’s compassionate character. She is on a mission as a nurse and in her life to bestow good and kindness as she briefly passes through others’ journeys in life. She seeks no recognition. She will dismiss any gratitude, and reply that, “It was nothing. I just want to help, and it was such a small sacrifice.” Her incentive does not lie in monetary gain. Her reward is knowing that she has eased another’s burden at that moment in time.

Infinity Homacare
PORT CHARLOTTE – 941.629.1600
CAPE CORAL – 239.242.0541
www.infinityhc.com