A Day in the Life of a Home Care Nurse

Like many nurses, Chablis’s workday is actually at night, and that suits her work-life balance just fine. It was a bit of an adjustment at first, but now she says, “I actually like working overnight. It gives me time to run errands and get things done during the day.”

Caring for her client for nearly a year—a 65-year-old man who had a stroke—he and Chablis have settled into a routine and a comfortable relationship:

“I treat all my clients with respect, love, and compassion,” she said. “I don’t have favorites, but I know he and his family appreciate me.”

And Chablis appreciates the opportunity to use her well-honed nursing skills to keep him safe at home, giving his family a peaceful night’s sleep knowing he’s under her watchful eye.

What Does a Day in the Life of BAYADA Nurse Chablis T. Look Like?

8:45 p.m.

I wake up and get ready for work just before 9:00 p.m. Sometimes my alarm doesn’t do the trick, though, so my mom or sister usually call me to make sure I’m moving.

Once I’m up, I make myself some coffee and pack water, fruit, and trail mix to keep me going through the night.

10:00 p.m.

I arrive at 10:00 p.m. to relieve my client’s sister, who cares for him during the day. The first thing I do is say hi to him, ask him how his day went, and hold his hand. We have a good connection.

I also talk to his sister and catch-up on his day so I know how he’s feeling—both physically and mentally.

10:30 p.m.

I start vitals and go over yesterday’s notes.

11:45 p.m.

Just before midnight, I take my client’s blood pressure.

12:00 a.m.

If he’s not sleeping yet, I help my client go to the bathroom and give him blood pressure medicine. I also start his first nebulizer treatment.

1:00 a.m.

My client has a feeding tube that runs 20 hours a day. Once he’s asleep, I flush the tube and give him additional medication, if necessary.

2:00 a.m.

While my client’s still sleeping, I clean and suction his tracheostomy, and do another flush of water through his feeding tube.

4:00 a.m.

By 4:00 a.m., I like to have everything done. He’s still asleep so I have the lights off and sit and do my notes for the night.

5:45 a.m.

I check my client’s blood pressure again and give him his medications. I’ll check his feet, because he’s diabetic, and his skin to make sure there’s no breakdown.

6:00 a.m.

The next nebulizer treatment is at 6:00 a.m. and runs for 20 minutes or so. And I should be finished with my notes now. Afterwards, I gather my belongings and make sure everything is clean.

7:00 a.m.

My client’s brother, who lives with him, will come down and relieve me until their sister arrives.

7:15 a.m.

I live only 10 minutes away from my client’s home, which is really nice. Once I’m home, I wind down, shower, and go to bed for the rest of the morning (I love my sleep mask!).

12:00 p.m.

After I catch some sleep, I run errands and just take care of whatever I need to do.

4:30 p.m.

I like to cook dinner every night after I’m finished with my errands.

5:30 p.m.

After I’ve eaten, I go back to sleep for a few more hours. Again: Must have my sleep mask.

8:45 p.m.

Time to wake up and take care of my awesome client!

Watch Chablis on her way to her client’s home and hear why she loves making a meaningful impact in people’s lives with her care and compassion.

To learn more, watch our featured Nurses Week nurses as they give you the inside scoop on the joys and challenges of their daily lives.